HSPA Data Speeds: Theoretical and Actual Rates

Overview
Mobile data speeds and capacity are increasingly important for todays cellular operators. Data traffic continues to grow at an exponential rate, spurred by smartphones, new applications and network capabilities. Standards organizations and vendors compare different data releases by looking at theoretical rates and capabilities. While this is useful for comparisons, it does not describe the actual data rates users will experience. Modulation techniques, coding rates, error correction and information packet headers all utilize bandwidth and lower the actual data rate throughput. HSPA user data rates provide a clear example of how actual data speeds are much lower than theoretical speeds. While the industry defines Release 6 HSPA as having a maximum downlink (DL) data rate of 14.4 Mbps, users will experience a far lower speed due to technical requirements, network design and environmental conditions. Data subscribers in most HSPA markets typically experience an average D/L speed of approximately 1 Mbps. This paper discuss the why the practical and actual data rates seen on commercial mobile networks are lower than the theoretical speeds listed in HSPA specifications. Data Delivery Challenges The market is demanding data. AT&T reported that its mobile traffic increased 5000% over three years. Ciscos global estimates show that mobile data traffic increased 160% from calendar year-end 2008 to calendar year-end 2009. Growth is being driven by several factors including new high bandwidth applications, the explosion of social media sites and a new class of data friendly subscriber devices known as smart phones. The industry continues to provide higher speed mobile data network solutions, including UTMS and HSPA to meet the ever growing demand for mobile data applications. Theoretical Data Rates Standards documents and vendors typically refer to the theoretical rates when discussing mobile data technologies. However, the theoretical number can only be achieved in a lab environment when there are no other users, traffic or even overhead. The theoretical data rates for UMTS/HSPA are dependent on the specific standards release. HSPA Release 6, for example, defines the highest downlink (DL) rate as 14.4 Mbps, and the uplink (UL) maximum rate as 5.7 Mbps. Most U.S. cellular operators offer Release 6 data speeds within their network, usually in urban or heavily populated areas.
HSPA Release 6 Maximum Theoretical D/L Data Rate: 14.4 Mbps

A theoretical data rate is determined by the maximum throughput if there is one user close to the antenna, and no overhead, signaling or voice channels. That way the network can

allocate all of the power and code resources to the single data terminal. Unfortunately, mobile networks must have overhead in order to properly function. Signaling is required, and most operators must dedicate a portion of the channels for voice traffic. This results in a lower data speed for the user. Practical Data Rates In a commercial environment operators must allocate bandwidth for quality issues, radio frequency overhead and IP protocol overhead to provide the quality of service subscribers expect. A practical data rate takes these into account but still utilizes all channels and bandwidth available at the site (no voice traffic). The rate is also impacted by the number of data users and distance from the antenna. Qualcomm University considers the practical peak data rate to be 10.0 Mbps, about 30% lower that the maximum theoretical data rate. They state the peak rate is observed when there is only one data user and no voice channels. It still requires good RF conditions and a full capability user device capable of supporting the high rate. Other vendors and industry experts agree with Qualcomm. From a technical perspective, the data throughput is affected by the modulation technique and the effective coding rate. HSPA uses 16 QAM modulation and a effective coding rate. Based on the technical limitations and structure of this design, the best practical data rate in a lab environment will be approximately 10.7 Mbps. Once other factors like overhead are considered the rate drops to

near 10 Mbps. (Source: Qualcomm University, WCDMA for UMTS)

Theoretical D/L Peak Rate: 14.4 Mbps Modulation, Coding Impact -3.7 Mbps IP Headers, Other Overhead: -0.7 Mbps Practical D/L Peak Rate: 10.0 Mbps

There are several functions that consume the 4Mbps of capacity between theoretical and practical. Radio frequency (RF) overhead is required to minimize errors and interference that negatively affect the user experience. Specific bandwidth consuming items include forward error correction, re-ordering the re-transmission packets and signal-to-noise ratio compensation. All take up bit capacity, lowering the maximum possible data speed. Additionally, an operator must allocate capacity for their ACK or acknowledgement time. These are required to deliver the quality of service and experience subscribers expect.

Actual Data Rates Operators must continue to provide voice and SMS text services along with HSPA data. Many cell sites are configured to support 50% voice traffic, and 50% data traffic. In this real world configuration, all practical data rates are halved as only half of the bandwidth is allocated for data applications. Therefore the highest data rate a single user might experience is approximately 5 Mbps. In scenarios where there are numerous users, the highest average rate would be the 5 Mbps / Number-of-Users.

Lemko Corporation

www.lemko.com

Data speeds are affected by physical and environmental factors within each network.
50% Voice; 50% Data Configuration, Single User, Ideal Conditions Actual Maximum D/L Rate: 5 Mbps

Distance from the cell site antenna, line of site items and even weather lower the actual data speed.Therefore, operators must carefully plan their network to accommodate for geographical and physical limitations, and set user expectations accordingly. Observed Industry Data Speeds PC Magazine completed a mobile broadband study in May, 2010. They tested the data rates of all major U.S. carriers by using two laptops with modems to test the mobile Internet experience. PC Magazine ran approximately 1,000 tests in 20 different cities. Results of their study are contained in the June 3, 2010 edition of their magazine. In summary, the average downlink speed across the four largest cellular carriers ranged from .99 Mbps to 1.79 Mbps. It should be noted that the higher speeds were observed in cities where HSPA+ is deployed. Network specific information is contained in the table below. The speeds are averages across all cities where their data service was tested.
Carrier Consistency (Pct) 86.2 95.32 95.9 92.78 88.22 D/L speed (Mbps) Avg 1.72 0.94 0.99 1.17 1.01 Max 2.75 1.54 1.26 2.26 1.4 Time to first byte (Sec) 1.00 1.06 1.12 1.21 1.02

Clearly, data subscribers across the nation, regardless of carrier, are experiencing actual data rates far lower than the touted 14.4Mbps theoretical rate. The network and its resources must be shared with voice and multiple data users. People access the network in locations which distant from the cell site. Numerous users contend for the same bandwidth on a regular basis. The real world average data speed experience on an HSPA network is much closer to 1 Mbps.

Conclusion Third generation HSPA Release 6 is touted as providing a maximum downlink data rate 14.4 Mbps. The actual maximum data rate is affected by inherent overhead, coding factors, the number of voice channels, number of data users and geographic considerations. A single data session may experience up to 10 Mbps in perfect lab conditions when all channels are allocated for data. Actual subscribers on a network that support voice and data will experience downlink speeds ranging from 1Mbps to 5Mbps.

AT&T Cricket Sprint 3G T-Mobile Verizon

3G Data Speeds on Commercial Networks

(Source: PC Magazine, June, 2010)

Lemko Corporation

www.lemko.com