3G, HSPA AND 4G LTE Network Reliability and Achievable Internet Speeds on Airborn Aircraft up to 10.000 FT Above Ground Level
Abstract
Nowadays, we are witnesses of 5G mobile technology advancements and many countries plan to or already have introduced this technology to public usage. However, the older technologies such as 3G, HSPA and 4G LTE, because of their physical properties, ways of datagram transfers and frequency bands used, are still very suitable for usage in cases that assume longer distances between terminal device and cell towers. Having that in mind, a research was conducted during 2021. and 2022. in order to test i.e. verify or refute the hypothesis that 3G, HSPA and 4G LTE technologies will be reliable enough to provide a satisfactory connection on aircraft flying up to 3 km (10.000 ft) above ground level, quality enough to establish Internet connection speeds of at least 1Mbps, which would be enough to serve as a medium for innovated, Internet-based data links similar to CPDLC/ACARS. Through a series of 14 airplane flights, both above plains and mountain regions, first-hand data was gathered and analyzed accordingly, so reliable conclusions about presented hypothesis could be made. Empirical research results were accompanied with research results made on well-known computer radio propagation simulator TAP7.References
Ghayas, A. (2020). Average 4G Speed: How Fast Is 4G LTE Compared To 4G+?. Internet article. Retrieved on October 5th, 2021 from https://commsbrief.com/average-4g-speed-how-fast-is-4g-lte-compared-to-4g/
GSMA (2019). Internet of Things Case Study - Telco GSM networks for Low Altitude Airspace Management, Bulletin, Retrieved July 3rd, 2022 from https://www.gsma.com/iot/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Drones-Telstra-Case-Study-1.pdf
Longley, A. G., Rice, P. L. (1968). Prediction of tropospheric radio transmission loss over irregular terrain. A computer method-1968, ESSA Tech. Rep. ERL 79-ITS 67, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC (https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/AD676874.xhtml)
Lunden, I. (2013). European Commission Gives Its OK For In-Plane 3G, 4G Services For Data Use; Airlines Have The Final Say, Though. Article in online issue TechCrunch, Retrieved July 22nd, 2022 from https://techcrunch.com/2013/11/14/european-commission-gives-its-ok-for-in-plane-3g-4g-services-for-data-use-airlines-have-the-final-say-though/
Johnson, E. E. (1999). Analysis of Third-Generation HF ALE Technologies. New Mexico State University, US (http://wireless.nmsu.edu/hf/papers/3g_analysis.pdf)
Mettrop, J. (2006). GSM On-Board Aircraft. Aeronautical Communications Panel (ACP), Working Group F – 16th meeting, Montreal, Canada (https://www.icao.int/safety/acp/acpwgf/acp-wg-f-16/acp-wgf16-wp10%20-%20gsm%20onboard%20aircraft.doc)
Oguzer, T. Nosich, A.I, Altintas, A. (2004). Analysis of an Arbitrary Conic Section Profile Cylindrical Reflector Antenna, H-Polarization Case. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation 52(11): 3156 – 3163, DOI:10.1109/TAP.2004.834394 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3017809_Analysis_of_an_Arbitrary_Conic_Section_Profile_Cylindrical_Reflector_Antenna_H-Polarization_Case)
Raghavarapu, D. S. N. (2006). Feasibility study of a WCDMA direct air-to-ground link in the UMTS licensed band. Karlsruhe University, Germany (https://elib.dlr.de/50627/1/Diplomarbeit_Raghavarapu_Dora_Swamy_Naidu.pdf)
Rice, P. L. et. al. (1967). Transmission loss predictions for tropospheric communication circuits. Volume I & II, Tech. Note 101, National Bureau of Standards, US (https://its.ntia.gov/umbraco/surface/download/publication?reportNumber=TN101v1.pdf)
Serbian Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services – RAECPS (2022). Radio Coverage. Website. Retrieved February 21st, 2022 from http://benchmark.ratel.rs/en/radio-coverage-2021
Tait, D., Gillespie, A. F. R., Trinder, S. E. (2012). Modelling 2G and 3G ALE: A quantitative comparison. 12th IET International Conference on Ionospheric Radio Systems and Techniques (IRST 2012), DOI: 10.1049/cp.2012.0369 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261489689_Modelling_2G_and_3G_ALE_A_quantitative_comparison)
US Department of Defense (1999). Department of Defense Interface Standard: Interoperability and Performance Standards for Medium and High Frequency Radio Systems - MIL-STD-188-141B, Whitepaper (http://hflink.com/standards/ALE_standard_188_141B.pdf)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31449/inf.v47i5.4513Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors retain copyright in their work. By submitting to and publishing with Informatica, authors grant the publisher (Slovene Society Informatika) the non-exclusive right to publish, reproduce, and distribute the article and to identify itself as the original publisher.
All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution license CC BY 3.0. Under this license, others may share and adapt the work for any purpose, provided appropriate credit is given and changes (if any) are indicated.
Authors may deposit and share the submitted version, accepted manuscript, and published version, provided the original publication in Informatica is properly cited.
