Clearwire and China Mobile advance their plans for TD-LTE Roaming

[marioc21]

Here's the story:

 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-mobile-clearwire-advance-plans-110000677.html

[S4GRU]

The only issue for China Mobile is Clearwire plans to only offer hot spot LTE (well, at least in the beginning). That will not be a very good roaming ecosystem for China Mobile customers inn the U.S. Unless China Mobile also adds LTE 1900 for their devices to supplement Clearwire roaming in the U.S.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[marioc21]

The only issue for China Mobile is Clearwire plans to only offer hot spot LTE (well, at least in the beginning). That will not be a very good roaming ecosystem for China Mobile customers inn the U.S. Unless China Mobile also adds LTE 1900 for their devices to supplement Clearwire roaming in the U.S.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

 

Since Clearwire and Sprint are working on integrated chipsets and radios that handle 2.5ghz TDD/FDD LTE, maybe sprint's other frequencies get added to the mix over time. Then you may have true global roaming option.

[iansltx]

It sounds like this is more global than just China and the US. The Wells Fargo call with Sprint and CLWR just now mentioned a few other urban-focused deployments of TD-LTE (e.g. Bharti Airtel), using similar spectrum to Clearwire.

 

It also sounds like TD-LTE roaming will be in addition to whatever contracts for FD-LTE roaming get made. So you'll have devices with 2+ LTE bands: 2500 for TD plus something else when you're outside a hot zone.

[xcharles718]

It sounds like this is more global than just China and the US. The Wells Fargo call with Sprint and CLWR just now mentioned a few other urban-focused deployments of TD-LTE (e.g. Bharti Airtel), using similar spectrum to Clearwire.

 

It also sounds like TD-LTE roaming will be in addition to whatever contracts for FD-LTE roaming get made. So you'll have devices with 2+ LTE bands: 2500 for TD plus something else when you're outside a hot zone.

The GTI operator partner list

http://www.lte-tdd.org/about/members

[xcharles718]

What I don't understand is does this roaming deal have coverage requirements? I don't see how they can realistically offer roaming if the only places they'll be deploying is where Sprint needs capacity.

It would be better if Clearwire can either work out a deal in which it's roaming partners can also roam on Sprint, or Clearwire rolls in TD-LTE as part of NV.