ABSTRACT
The proliferation of smart mobile devices and data hungry mobile applications are driving the demand for faster mobile networks. Long Term Evolution (LTE), the 4th Generation of mobile network technology standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project, aims at satisfying this demand by offering faster connection speeds at both the downlink and the uplink, increased network capacity and better coverage. Evaluation of the performance of innovative broadband services over LTE and of candidate post-LTE technologies requires rigorous testing and validation. In Europe, since its establishment in 2008, the Future Internet Research and Experimentation initiative has contributed in bridging the gap between visionary research, large-scale experimentation on new networking and service architectures, paradigms. The testbed facilitates access to open source and highly configurable equipment, allowing for innovations through the experimental evaluation of protocols and ideas in a real world environment. The experimental ecosystem is consisting of several wireless and wired networking components, coupled with powerful nodes and a cloud computing infrastructure.
