International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced) is a concept and set of specifications developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to define the next generation of mobile communication systems beyond IMT-2000. IMT-Advanced, previously known as “systems beyond IMT-2000,” aims to provide significantly enhanced capabilities and performance compared to its predecessor.

Key characteristics and objectives of IMT-Advanced include:

1. Higher Data Rates: IMT-Advanced is designed to support much higher data rates than IMT-2000. The target peak data rates are up to approximately 100 Mbps for high mobility scenarios, such as mobile access, and up to approximately 1 Gbps for low mobility scenarios, such as nomadic or local wireless access.
2. Versatility: IMT-Advanced systems are envisioned to handle a wide range of supported data rates, offering flexibility to meet various economic and service demands. This versatility is particularly important in multi-user environments.
3. New Wireless Access Technology: The development of IMT-Advanced recognizes that IMT-2000 may reach a limit of around 30 Mbps. To support the growing demand for higher data rates and more advanced services, a new wireless access technology is anticipated to be developed around the year 2010.
4. Wide Range of Services: IMT-Advanced systems are expected to support a wide variety of services, ranging from mobile access for highly mobile users to nomadic or local wireless access for users in fixed or semi-fixed locations.
5. Different Radio Interfaces and Frequency Bands: To accommodate the diverse requirements of various services and user scenarios, IMT-Advanced may include different radio interfaces and frequency bands. These variations allow for tailored solutions that optimize performance for specific use cases.

The introduction of the IMT-Advanced concept and specifications is part of the ITU’s vision to enable the continued evolution of mobile communication technologies, meeting the demands of emerging applications and services. IMT-Advanced builds upon the foundation laid by IMT-2000 and is expected to shape the future of wireless communication systems with its enhanced capabilities.

To reflect this broader scope of mobile communication systems, the ITU introduced the generic root name “IMT,” which covers both IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced, providing a unified framework for the development and deployment of advanced wireless technologies.