Huawei Completes Breakthrough LTE-to-GSM CSFB Test to Accelerate Development of Mobile Broadband

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, announced that it had completed a LTE to GSM CSFB (Circuit Switched Fallback) test to reduce voice setup delays from LTE to GSM network by two seconds, improve handover success rates and provide end users with better voice experience on GSM/LTE networks.

As mobile broadband networks continue to rapidly develop, LTE networks have been widely deployed around the world, offering operators the advantages of excellent data transmission speeds and high spectrum efficiency. GSM networks, meanwhile, continue to provide voice services on nearly every continent. LTE and GSM networks are widely predicted to co-exist for a long time due to their distinct advantages in providing mobile broadband services.

However, voice services on LTE networks are not mature. This means that a CSFB voice solution, which enables call service fallback from LTE to GSM, is key to improve voice experience for end users on LTE networks. The 1800MHz band is becoming a major spectrum for deploying LTE networks with strong coverage. Currently over 30% of all the LTE commercial networks worldwide are deployed with 1800 MHz with the number of dual-mode GSM/LTE networks beginning to rise.

Different than the redirecting accessing process found in the 3GPP Release 8 and Release 9 standards, Huawei adopted CCO (Cell Change Order) with NACC (Network Assisted Cell Change) technology for its CSFB voice optimization test to enables devices to skip cell searches when switching from LTE to GSM networks. In case of failure, the devices directly search for signals in LTE idling process without accessing the cell again, cutting down user waiting time and improving user experience.

Huawei’s successful CSFB voice optimization test not only speeds up a seamless GSM/LTE interoperable mobility progress but also helps operators to accelerate the evolution of existing GSM to LTE networks and promotes the development of whole mobile broadband industry chain.

To date, Huawei has won more than 100 LTE/EPC commercial contracts and has worked with world-leading operators to build 45 LTE commercial networks, the most of any other vendor. With the global LTE market growing on five continents, Huawei provides global telecom operators with solutions for efficient, competitive and profitable mobile broadband networks that maximize the value of core assets while achieving business successes.