The evolution of 4G wireless baseband indicates there are two evolving technologies that are currently competing for the leading position; namely LTE and WiMAX. WiMAX has emerged as the technology of choice for computing devices and M2M, as well as for fixed wireless connections in underdeveloped areas. It is promoted by the WiMAX forum, led by Intel and other companies. LTE is evolving as the “GSM” direction towards cellular broadband and is promoted by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and adopted by baseband OEMs and operators including Qualcomm, ST-Ericsson, Verizon, Vodafone and others.
It is unclear which standard will eventually prevail, and it is highly possible that both standards will coexist and serve different use-cases in different geographies. To ensure that both of these standards are supported in 4G modems, a flexible solution that would allow for specific implementations under both technology roadmaps is required.
