Long Term Evolution (LTE), a whole new “4th Generation” mobile radio access network (RAN) technology, promises higher data rates – 100Mbps in the downlink and 50Mbps in the uplink in LTE’s first phase – and will reduce the data and control plane latency with an aim at quenching the insatiable thirst for high-speed mobile data access. Additionally, LTE is designed to support interoperability with existing mobile network technologies such as GSM, GPRS and UMTS. LTE also supports scalable bandwidth, from 1.25MHz to 20MHz, which allows operators significant deployment flexibility and also can allow for more rapid roll-out due to spectrum flexibility. All of these features make LTE a very attractive technology for operators as well as subscribers, and over 75 operators worldwide have committed to LTE roll-outs in the next two to five years.

All is not rosy, however, and the performance demands of LTE technology is leading to increasing signaling and data requirements which impose additional demand on the network. In this paper, we look at the need for and methods of optimizing the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) to handle increased signaling loads in LTE and 3G networks.

To download white paper visit CCPU website.