The current generation of mobile telecommunication networks are collectively known as 3G, and, believe it or not, is part of the 3GPP LTE (News - Alert) (long term evolution).
LTE is often marketed as 4G, however the supposed 4G LTE does not fully comply with the IMT Advanced 4G requirements. The pre-4G standard is a step toward LTE Advanced, a 4th generation of radio technologies designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile telephone networks.
As more of these LTE networks take off, be it 3G or 4G, operators are looking to offer data roaming, or spectrum reusing, according to ComputerWorld.
With 17 commercial networks globally combined with another 140 networks that operators have committed to building, LTE can be considered the “fastest-growing mobile system ever,” ComputerWorld cites GSA (News - Alert) president Alan Hadden having noted at the LTE Forum conference in Stockholm.
“From a roaming perspective, the advantage of LTE compared with previous technologies is that it will eventually have a truly global reach. But just like existing GSM networks, different parts of the world use different frequencies to roll out the technology,” writes Mikael Ricknäs.
For this recycled roaming concept to work, everything needs to work together, and, according to Tommy Liunggren of TeliaSonera (News - Alert), “there are a number of interfaces that have to be able to talk with each other, and we have tested that on the vendors we use: Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia (News 
- Alert) Siemens.”
It goes beyond equipment, however. Agreements need to be made and business models need to be put in place.
In the United States, where LTE spectrum allocations are more fragmented, it’s a bit more complex. Many European countries are combined at around 2.6 GHz as a primary band for LTE. For an LTE handset from AT&T (News - Alert) to roam among the viable LTE networks in the United States, it will likely have to support all radio frequency bands available.
Roaming LTE was something most experts thought was a long ways off, but it’s becoming more of a reality as the technology progresses. No one has spilled the beans as to when LTE roaming will actually be available, but it’s not such a distant thought as it once was before.
It’s a pretty expensive venture, but Ljunggren says it needs to pick up the pace.
"The industry has to do something about the roaming setup, that's for sure. We can't continue to have the current prices. A few operators are doing something, but I think it is moving a little too slow," said Ljunggren.
Michelle Amodio is a TMCnet contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor's degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
