Achieve spectral efficiency in wireless networks

Explosive growth in wireless data services is once again transforming an industry well-accustomed to change. The rapid growth in traffic of the 2000s, driven predominantly by voice subscriber additions, is now being followed by an even more dramatic increase in data traffic, as smart phone market penetration accelerates and a flourishing ecosystem of smartphone apps drives explosive growth in the amount of data consumed per subscriber.

To continue to support this growth, spectrum strategy is becoming an ever more crucial factor in determining a wireless operator's success. Spectrum strategy discussions usually center on opening new bands for terrestrial wireless services, but it should be emphasized that the core issue is providing sufficient and pervasive network throughput to keep pace with the acceleration in demand. This is a question not only of adequate spectrum, but also of maximizing spectral efficiency, i.e. to support continued growth in demand for data services, operators must increase spectrum holdings, and also maximize the throughput per unit of available bandwidth per unit of coverage area (the area spectral efficiency, typically measured in kbps/Hz/km2).

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