Long-term evolution (LTE) and 4G are the state of the art in mobile telecommunications, and the latest in a three-decade journey of technological innovation and development. We have moved from voice-centric systems with 1G and 2G, to mobile broadband (3G and 4G), and are now well on our way toward a truly networked society thanks to the current developments for 5G.

This book provides a complete overview of LTE in terms of spectrum, radio access, protocol structure, transmission procedures, and the physical layer, among other topics. The activities of organizations such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in the standardization processes are described. In addition, the authors take care to explain the driving forces behind the evolution of LTE specifications over time up to release 13, resulting in the increased capabilities brought about by LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro.

These include the unlicensed spectrum, carrier aggregation, and heterogeneous deployments, which are all natural steps on the road toward 5G. Concepts such as device-to-device connectivity and machine-type communications are introduced in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT), which is now a fixture on the telecommunications landscape. The book concludes with the 5G requirements, which will address existing and new usage scenarios, and technical solutions for the new 5G radio-access technology.

The authors’ heavy involvement on the front line of the development of LTE specifications is reflected in the attention to detail, making this book a comprehensive resource for students and professionals in the area.

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