The next-generation mobile network, bridging the gap between today's super 3G (HSPA) and the coming 4G, is called Long-Term Evolution (LTE). Combined with a new flat core network called System Architecture Evolution (SAE), it will offer operators a cost-efficient solution, and end users a performance richer than anything they have seen.

Göran Klang, Ericsson product manager for LTE and the company's representative in the joint initiative, compares the initiative to a three-stage rocket: proof of concept, already under way now; interoperability tests starting 2008; and customer-friendly trials 2009.

"The most important phase is the interoperability testing," Klang says. "There we have to ensure that there are working terminals for when the networks are rolled out."

The proof-of-concept phase involves setting up test cases to demonstrate functions and features of both the air interface and the core network: link adaptation, mobility between cells, mobility between different wireless systems such as WCDMA/HSPA, and more. All vendors from the forum do this phase on their own, with their existing testbeds.

Together these demonstrations will prove more than what anyone could do alone. For Ericsson, the first activities will be field trials in June and July this year, using existing test systems.

The interoperability tests will normally be bilateral: one network vendor cooperating with one terminal provider. This will lay the foundation for a true global, high-volume system. It is also at this point that third-party companies will join the initiative.

When the terminals are available and all the different components are working together, it is time for the customer trials. After that, during the second half of 2009, the initiative will have had its day.

Thomas Norén, who works with strategies at Ericsson, adds that this initiative is also the first step towards a single, unified future network.

"The 3GPP standardization group, which has worked successfully with the 3G/WCDMA and now LTE/SAE systems, will also cooperate with the corresponding 3GPP2 for the American standard CDMA2000. Then that standard could also join the main LTE/SAE stream.

"Generally we encourage all players to join us - not just traditional operators and vendors but also application developers and manufacturers of all kind of terminals: laptops, cameras, video cameras, gaming equipment and so on."