Research firm ABI Research has stated that it expects both LTE (News - Alert) and WiMAX deployments go head-to head as the fight for 4G supremacy begins. Though both the technologies are seeing steady strides, the lack of compatible handsets and voice standards that are only at the developmental stages will compel these networks to carry only data traffic for some time to come.

LTE networks have been commercially launched in SINGAPORE with TeliaSonera. The commercial launch of several LTE networks, including large operators such as Verizon Wireless in the United States and NTT DoCoMo (News - Alert) in Japan will be available soon.

LTE (Long Term Evolution) is the project name of a new high performance air interface for cellular mobile communication systems. It is the last step toward the 4th generation (4G) of radio technologies designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile telephone networks. Most major mobile carriers in the United States and several worldwide carriers announced plans to convert their networks to LTE beginning in 2009.

The world's first publicly available LTE-service was opened by TeliaSonera (News - Alert) in the two Scandinavian capitals Stockholm and Oslo on the 14th of December 2009. LTE is a set of enhancements to the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) which will be introduced in 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 8.

WiMAX (News - Alert) (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is a telecommunications technology that provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully mobile internet access. The technology provides up to 10 Mbps broadband speed without the need for cables.

Bhavya Khanna, ABI Research (News - Alert) firm has said that as LTE deployments begin to pick up pace, WiMAX continues its steady progress. While LTE does promise data speeds greater than 50Mbps, they have yet to be achieved by live or trial networks, whereas mobile WiMAX is now a tried and tested standard. Several operators, including Sprint in the United States, have chosen to go with WiMAX as their 4G network of choice. ABI Research reports 164 mobile WiMAX networks in trial or commercial operation at the end of 2009, compared to just over 100 LTE trials.

ABI Forums, the sister company of ABI Research is slated to conduct a conference in Hong Kong termed “4G Networks: LTE & WiMAX,” that will explore the coexistence of LTE and WiMAX. The conference will feature an outstanding roster of expert industry speakers as well as key ABI Research analysts.