does LTE uses more closely spaced carriers than do both Wi-Fi and mobile WiMAX 2.0 ?
Yes, LTE (Long-Term Evolution) uses more closely spaced carriers compared to both Wi-Fi and mobile WiMAX 2.0. The spacing between carriers is an essential aspect of wireless communication technologies and directly affects their performance.
To understand this concept, let's break it down:
1. Carrier: In wireless communication, a carrier refers to a specific frequency band that carries the data wirelessly between devices.
2. Carrier spacing: Carrier spacing is the frequency separation between adjacent carriers. It determines how many carriers can be accommodated within a given frequency range.
Now, let's compare LTE, Wi-Fi, and mobile WiMAX 2.0:
LTE:
LTE is a standard for wireless communication used by mobile devices. It operates in the frequency range of around 450 MHz to 3.8 GHz, depending on the specific band used. LTE uses a closely spaced carrier configuration, typically with a carrier spacing of 15 kHz, 30 kHz, or 60 kHz. This close spacing allows for higher spectral efficiency, enabling more information to be transmitted in a given frequency band.
Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi, also known as IEEE 802.11, is a wireless networking technology used for local area networks (LANs). It operates in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. Unlike LTE, Wi-Fi uses a wider carrier spacing. The channel bandwidth in Wi-Fi is generally 20 MHz or 40 MHz. The wider carrier spacing in Wi-Fi allows for more significant frequency separation between the channels but may result in lower spectral efficiency compared to LTE.
Mobile WiMAX 2.0:
Mobile WiMAX 2.0 (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a wireless broadband technology designed for mobile communication. It uses a wide carrier spacing of 10 MHz, 15 MHz, or 20 MHz. This wider spacing allows for a more extended coverage area but may limit the total number of carriers within a given spectrum.
In summary, LTE uses more closely spaced carriers (15 kHz, 30 kHz, or 60 kHz), while Wi-Fi and mobile WiMAX 2.0 use wider carrier spacing (20 MHz, 40 MHz, or 10-20 MHz). The choice of carrier spacing depends on the specific requirements and trade-offs of each technology, such as spectral efficiency, coverage, and the number of supported users.