IJECT Vol.

4, Issue Spl - 2, Jan - March 2013 ISSN : 2230-7109 (Online) | ISSN : 2230-9543 (Print)

IMT-Advanced Requirements for 4G Technology and its

Components
Sudhir Singh
Dept. of ECE, I.E.T Bhaddal Technical Campus, Ropar, Punjab, India

Abstract A. Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP)

Mobile wireless networks has shown tremendous increase in
technology sector with the evolution of 4G i.e. Fourth Generation.
The ITU has defined requirements that will officially define and
certify technologies as IMT-Advanced or “4G”. So, in this paper, I
had discussed about the IMT-Advanced Requirements and various
technology components of 4G which makes it more effective than
other generations.
Keywords
4G, CoMP, ITU, IMT-Advanced, MIMO, OFDMA
I. Introduction
Mobile data is increasing at a compound annual rate of 108%,
as a result of an increasing level of penetration of data-intensive
devices (smart phones, broadband enabled laptops, and other
devices) and an increasing level of usage per device [6]. The
ITU has defined requirements that will officially define and
certify technologies as IMT-Advanced or “4G,” and technology
submissions from standards organizations occurred in October
2009 timeframe pending evaluation and potential certification in
the 2010 timeframe; the certified technology specifications are
projected to be published by early 2011. Table 1 lists the IMT-
Advanced requirements specified by ITU.
Coordinated multipoint or cooperative MIMO is one of the
promising concepts to improve cell edge user data rate and spectral
efficiency. Long Term Evolution (LTE) and mobile WiMAX use
Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO)-Orthogonal Frequency-
Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and achieve improved spectral
efficiency within one cell. In this method coordination of base
stations to avoid interference and constructive exploitation of
interference through coherent base station cooperation is done.
Conceptually, there is extension of single-cell MIMO techniques,
such as multi-user (MU-MIMO), to multiple cells. The cooperation
techniques aim to avoid or exploit interference in order to improve
the cell edge and average data rates. CoMP can be applied both
in the uplink and downlink [1]. Fig. 1 shows the concept of
Coordinated Multipoint.

Table 1: IMT-Advanced Requirements [4]

Item IMT-Advanced

Peak Data Rate (DL) 1 Gbps

Peak Data Rate (UL) 500 Mbps

Spectrum Allocation >40 MHz

Latency (User Plane) 10 msec
Latency (Control Plane) 100 msec
Peak Spectral Efficiency
15 bps/Hz (4 X 4)
(DL) Fig. 1: Coordinated Multipoint
Peak Spectral Efficiency
6.75 bps/Hz (2 X 4) B. Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)
(UL)
Average Spectral Multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) technology offers
2.2 bps/Hz (4 X 2) tremendous performance gains for wireless LANs (WLANs)
Efficiency (DL)
at relatively low cost. Any system with multiple inputs into
Average Spectral
1.4 bps/Hz (2 X 4) the receiver and multiple outputs to the transmitter is a MIMO
Efficiency (UL)
system, but implementing such a system involves several distinctly
Cell-Edge Spectral different radio techniques. Some of these techniques are beneficial
0.06 bps/Hz (4 X 2)
Efficiency (DL) and fully compatible with today’s standard WLAN equipment,
Cell-Edge Spectral while others do not improve performance when used with existing
0.03 bps/Hz (2 X 4)
Efficiency (UL) equipment.
Mobility Up to 350 km/h In MIMO, “multiple in” means a WLAN device simultaneously
sends two or more radio signals into multiple transmitting
II. Technology Components antennas. “Multiple out” refers to two or more radio signals
The technology components which will play vital role in making coming from multiple receiving antennas [2]. Fig. 2 shows the
4G wireless technology practically feasible, are discussed in the concept of MIMO.
following section:

58 International Journal of Electronics & Communication Technology w w w. i j e c t. o r g

ISSN : 2230-7109 (Online) | ISSN : 2230-9543 (Print)
Fig. 2: MIMO
C. Carrier Aggregation (CA)
Carrier Aggregation (CA) has been identified as a key technology
to meet IMT-Advanced requirements. The need for CA in 4G
arises from the requirement to support bandwidths larger than
those currently supported in LTE while at the same time ensuring
backward compatibility with LTE (B3G Networks). CA allows
4G to exploit spectrum allocations up to 100 MHz by aggregating
multiple component carriers to provide the necessary bandwidth
[3].
D. Relaying
LTE-Advanced extends LTE Release 8 with support for relaying in
order to enhance coverage and capacity. In the case of relaying, the
UEs communicate with the relay node which in turn communicates
with a donor eNodeB also called anchor eNodeB. The relay node
is wirelessly connected to the donor cell of a donor eNodeB via
the Un interface, and UEs connect to the relay station via the Uu
interface. The (anchor) eNodeB may, in addition to serving one or
several relays, also communicate with non-relayed UEs directly
according to the Release 8 specifications [7]. Fig. 3 shows the
concept of relaying.
Fig. 3: Relaying Concept
E. OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Domain Multiple
Access)
In OFDMA systems, the multiple user signals are separated in the
time and/or frequency domains. Typically, a burst in an OFDMA
system will consists of several OFDM symbols. The subcarriers
and the OFDM symbol period are the finest allocation units in the
frequency and time domain, respectively. Hence, multiple users
are allocated different slots in the time and frequency domain (i.e.,
different groups of subcarriers and/or OFDM symbols are used
for transmitting the signals to/from multiple users). Fig.4 shows
the concept of OFDMA.
w w w. i j e c t. o r g
IJECT Vol. 4, Issue Spl - 2, Jan - March 2013
Fig. 4: OFDMA
III. Conclusion
This paper has provided a comprehensive overview of some
technology components currently considered for 4G. According
to recent studies, there is a large amount of increase in the mobile
broadband customers due to falling prices and increasing speeds
[5]. So, more and more companies are coming forward to provide
better coverage along with data rates.
References
[1] Satnam Singh, Amit Kumar, Dr.Sawtantar Singh Khurmi,
Tanvir Singh, Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) Reception
and Transmission for LTE-Advanced/4G, IJCST Vol. 3, Issue
2, April - June 2012
[2] Atheros Communication,“Getting most out of MIMO:
Boosting Wireless LAN Performance with Full Compatibility”,
June 2005.
[3] Amit Kumar, Dr. Yunfei Liu, Tanvir Singh, “Path To 4G
Wireless Technology”, National Conference, Jalandhar-
April 2011
[4] Amit Kumar, Yunfei Liu, Tanvir Singh, “IMT-Advanced:
The ITU standard for 4G Mobile Communication”, IJCST
Vol.2 Issue.1 March, 2011.
[5] Amit Kumar, Vasishath Kaushal, Tanvir Singh, Dr. Sawtantar
Singh Khurmi, Wireless Technologies and their Radiation
Hazards: A Practical Observation, IJECT Vol. 3, Issue 3,
July - Sept 2012
[6] Amit Kumar, Dr. Yunfei Liu, Tanvir Singh, Dr.Sawtantar
Singh Khurmi, Sustainable Energy Optimization Techniques
in Wireless Mobile Communication Networks, The First
International Conference on Interdisciplinary Research and
Development, 31 May - 1 June 2011, Thailand
[7] Meik Kottkamp, Rohde & Schwarz, LTE-Advanced
Technology Introduction, [Online] Available: http://
cdn.rohde-schwarz.com/dl_downloads/dl_application/
application_notes/1ma169/1MA169_3E.pdf
[8] [Online] Available: http://www.csd.uoc.gr/~hy439/reading/
list_2010/introduction_orthogonal_frequency_division_
multiplex.pdf
International Journal of Electronics & Communication Technology   59
IJECT Vol. 4, Issue Spl - 2, Jan - March 2013 ISSN : 2230-7109 (Online) | ISSN : 2230-9543 (Print)

He has completed his bachelor’s degree

in Electronics and Communication
Engineering (ECE) from IET Bhaddal
Technical Campus, Ropar, Punjab, India
under Punjab Technical University,
Jalandhar. Currently, he is pursuing
his master’s degree in Electronics and
Communication Engineering from Doaba
Institute of engineering and Technology
(DIET), Kharar, Punjab, India. He is
working as an Assistant Professor at IET
Bhaddal Technical Campus, Ropar, Punjab, India.

60 International Journal of Electronics & Communication Technology w w w. i j e c t. o r g