Last year, operators indicated to us that they intended to deploy HSPA, then HSPA+, followed by LTE in two or three years. They also said that they would deploy MIMO antenna systems only with LTE, and not with HSPA+. One year later, their LTE deployment plans have not changed, but operators are starting to upgrade the capacity of their HSPA networks well beyond the level they anticipated. Some have deployed MIMO antenna technologies with HSPA+, and a significant number are running trials of HSPA+ with MIMO.
This report examines the reasons why an operator would continue to invest in 3G technology to enhance capacity instead of investing this capital in 4G technology – that is, LTE. Our research reveals that operators will need to make the most of all of the spectrum they hold to meet the rising demand for data.