Alcatel-Lucent Completes PSCR LTE Interoperability

Alcatel-Lucent successfully completed initial Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) program interoperability testing with its Long Term Evolution (LTE) system. This is the only system that has successfully completed third-party interoperability testing for its radio access network (RAN) and core network components, company officials said.

The tested network solution operates in the public-safety 700 MHz band 14 spectrum. Interoperability testing validated a solution using the Alcatel-Lucent eNodeB with a Cisco evolved packet core (EPC). Testing also validated a network with an Alcatel-Lucent EPC and an Ericsson and a Nokia Siemens Networks eNodeB. This testing follows Alcatel-Lucent’s industry-first completion of phase one testing.

The interoperability testing highlights the benefits to public safety of using open standards-based commercial broadband technology. The PSCR demonstration network and testing offers public safety the flexibility to use a core from one vendor and eNodeBs from a second as well as a third vendor. This enables an agency to optimize its network by selecting best-in-class solution elements for an application while minimizing risk by eliminating the dependency on a single vendor for future network growth. Because the RAN and associated backhaul are typically a significant part of the overall LTE network cost, the flexibility to select the best in class for a specific location is beneficial.

Source: Radioresourcemag