Two industry groups – the TD Industry Association (TDIA) and the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance – are teaming up with the aim of promoting TD-LTE technology worldwide and ensuring the development of a converged standard for Frequency Division Duplex (FDD)- and Time Division Duplex (TDD)-based LTE networks. The move follows operator efforts to harmonise development of LTE, aiming to integrate FDD (operating in paired spectrum) and TDD (operating in unpaired spectrum) versions of the technology. Although most operators worldwide will use the FDD version of LTE technology, China Mobile is eventually planning to migrate its current 3G network to next-generation technology using the TDD version of LTE (TD-LTE). Given China Mobile’s position as the world’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, the need for a unified and TDD/FDD converged LTE standard is apparent.

At the GSMA Mobile World Congress in February, China Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone issued a statement that joint laboratory tests proved the technology is capable of operating effectively in both unpaired and paired spectrum, giving hope it will soon be possible to launch an LTE device able to operate on both versions of the technology. The new announcement from the TDIA and NGMN Alliance states that the two groups “will widen the scope of work on chipsets and devices, system interworking, trial coordination, spectrum requirements, as well as roaming support.”