Operators are very clear that, while they may deploy 5G for particular use cases or locations (or to score bragging rights), LTE will be the main engine of network expansion for years to come (at least 10 years after the first 5G New Radio roll-outs, according to NTT Docomo of Japan, despite being a 5G pioneer). The vendors, keen to avoid a damaging revenue hiatus while customers wait for 5G to achieve scale, are happy to oblige. Carrier aggregation, use of unlicensed spectrum to boost capacity, 256 QAM modulation, and increasingly advanced orders of MIMO, are some of the tools with which LTE can be enhanced in speed, capacity, efficiency and coverage. Most companies are referring to the latest wave…