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arXiv · 1611.07782

What is LTE actually used for? An answer through multi-operator, crowd-sourced measurement

Francesco Malandrino·Scott Kirkpatrick·Danny Bickson
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Abstract

LTE networks are commonplace nowadays; however, comparatively little is known about where (and why) they are deployed, and the demand they serve. We shed some light on these issues through large-scale, crowd-sourced measurement. Our data, collected by users of the WeFi app, spans multiple operators and multiple cities, allowing us to observe a wide variety of deployment patterns. Surprisingly, we find that LTE is frequently used to improve the {\em coverage} of network rather than the capacity thereof, and that no evidence shows that video traffic be a primary driver for its deployment. Our insights suggest that such factors as pre-existing networks and commercial policies have a deeper impact on deployment decisions than purely technical considerations.

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Francesco Malandrino, Scott Kirkpatrick, Danny Bickson. 2016-11-23. What is LTE actually used for? An answer through multi-operator, crowd-sourced measurement. https://arxiv.org/abs/1611.07782

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