LTE has been around for quite a while. But a new feature that is included in the LTE protocol will help smartphones bypass the cellphone tower completely.
According to a report on MIT Technology Review, the phones will be able to talk amongst themselves or beacon towers fitted to shops and businesses.
The feature, known as LTE Direct, is a wireless technology, which can communicate up to a range of up to 500 meters, far more than Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The LTE Direct can communicate with LTE-compatible devices across a 500 meter range.
The new feature could be put into use only by late 2015. The technology has been pioneered by Qualcomm, who has been developing the same for almost seven years. LTE Direct also uses lower amount of power as compared to the present radio technology used in cell technology.
Qualcomm is presently helping Facebook and Yahoo to develop apps on the LTE Direct technology.
