LTE-U over Wi-Fi

Abstract

LTE is a standard for wireless data communications technology and a development of the GSM/UMTS standards, aimed at increasing the capacity and speed of wireless data networks, in licensed band. Now, LTE is being upgraded to LTE-U, which utilizes the unlicensed band. Wi-Fi is a local area wireless technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data or connect to the internet using 2.4 GHz UHF and 5 GHz SHF radio waves. Wi-Fi follows IEEE 802.11 standards. The latest standard of Wi-Fi that is in use is 802.11ac. It uses 5 GHz band only. This paper examines Wifi and its various standards, LTE and its bands, the difference between Wi-Fi (802.11ac) and LTE-U, and the need why unlicensed spectrum is used. We shall mainly focus on layer one and layer two parameters.