High-profile tech companies - including Google, Broadcom and HP Enterprise - have joined in opposition to US regulator FCC's proposal to standardize the use of LTE-U.
The group, which also includes Boingo Wireless and Ruckus Wireless, have written to the FCC alleging that LTE-U could cause real harm to American consumers, the Register reported.
The filing argues that LTE-U proponents are ignoring standards bodies including the 3GPP, and developing technologies that threaten to improve their own interests but degrade the overall wireless ecosystem.
For example, the standard has not so far mandated checking for interference before broadcasting over spectrum. This would instead be down to individual implementations, which opens the risk of LTE-U equipment causing significant interference, the opponents are arguing.
Industry body the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NTCA) already voiced its objections to the FCC's LTE-U proposal in June.
All the companies objecting to the proposal have a stake in the wireless ecosystem, including potentially Google due to its Project Loon “moonshot”, a project to deliver LTE services using a network of high-altitude balloons floating in stratospheric winds.
Source: http://www.telecomasia.net/content/google-broadcom-hp-oppose-lte-u-proposal