Here’s Why Google and Microsoft Are Fighting Against Qualcomm and Verizon’s New LTE Technology

A new LTE technologyQualcomm, Verizon, and other wireless carriers are pursuing a new LTE technology called LTE Unlicensed, or LTE-U. The new tech allows LTE signals to use unlicensed airwaves that are typically reserved for things like garage door openers, wireless baby monitors, and Wi-Fi signals.

Image Source: Qualcomm.

Better connectionsVerizon and Qualcomm want to tap into LTE-U because it will help offload some of the LTE signals from cellular networks, which should help improve data speeds.

“Unlicensed spectrum is going to be an important part of providing a better mobile broadband experience for our customers.”

— David Young,Verizon’s vice president of public policySource: Bloomberg.

The flip sideGoogle, Microsoft, and other tech and cable companies aren’t exactly excited about LTE-U. They claim that the new technology can hijack the unlicensed airwaves for its own use, forcing Wi-Fi signals to sit and wait until the airwaves are free again.

Image Source: Google.

“We are concerned that any technology that makes use of a licensed control channel will use that channel to give it priority access to the medium, and in this case degrade the performance of services delivered over Wi-Fi and other technologies that rely exclusively on unlicensed spectrum.” — Michael Daum, Microsoft’s technology policy strategistSource: Microsoft.

Conflicting dataQualcomm and Verizon say they have proof that LTE-U doesn’t interfere with Wi-Fi signals, while Microsoft and Google have data showing the exact opposite.

Image Source: Qualcomm.

More testing neededMicrosoft and Google are calling for more testing of LTE-U before it’s allowed to be implemented, and have started lobbying the Federal Communications Commission for a temporary block on LTE-U. But so far, the FCC has said that LTE-U is something that the tech and wireless companies need to figure out on their own.

“Folks, you’ve got to come together and resolve this in a broad-based standard.” — Tom Wheeler, FCC chairman

LTE-U’s future is up in the airThe same organization that sets Wi-Fi standards, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (or IEEE), may ask Qualcomm and carriers to submit their technology for testing. But if all of the companies can’t come to a resolution, then the FCC may eventually get involved.

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