NTT, NEC, Panasonic, Fujitsu work on LTE platform

The four companies have completed the development of an LTE-PF chipset engineering sample and are now evaluating its main functions. The sample will be exhibited at the NTT Group stand at ITU Telecom World 2009 and at CEATEC JAPAN 2009.

LTE-PF is a core system comprising software for base band processing and other basic functions in mobile communication devices. The platform's technology is expected to be licensed in mobile phone markets worldwide, where its adoption as a common platform will free manufacturers of mobile phones and chipsets from having to develop proprietary technologies for basic functions. As a result, manufacturers will get products to market faster and at lower costs, and will be able to concentrate more resources on the development of enhanced lineups of unique products.

The LTE protocol on which LTE-PF is based is currently being standardised by the 3G Partnership Project. Seamless hand-over is possible between LTE and the current 3G standards W-CDMA and GSM, meaning that users would be unaware of switching networks even while using their phones.