Data rate estimates, range calculations and spectrum demand for new elements of systems beyond IMT-2000

Research activities on systems beyond third generation mobile communication started already around 1999. The major drivers for these systems are the increasing demand for personal mobile communications with respect to performance, applications, traffic, and ease of use including communications involving machines. Cost reduction in terms of more bits for the same money is a major requirement to enable the economic success of future systems. From the user perspective increasing personal mobility enforces mobile communications in business and the private sector. ITU-R WP8F, ITU-T SSG and bodies like WWRF are currently working on the vision of systems beyond IMT-2000 on a global basis, and are defining basic requirements. New elements of these systems for the mobile access (up to 100 Mbps peak cell capacity) and the nomadic/wireless local area access (up to 1 Gbps peak cell capacity) are being discussed. These requirements result in a significant reduction of the covered range and, thereby, in the cell size compared to the third generation. In addition, a huge amount of spectrum is required to enable these requirements. The impact on attainable range and spectrum demand for a new mobile broadband access element is investigated. The nomadic/wireless local area access is not considered.