Qualcomm plans to push for the use of LTE — the fourth generation cellular technology common in the latest smartphones — in the unlicensed radio bands used for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said he believes LTE can co-exist peacefully with existing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices and in certain cases can boost interoperability by allowing next generation tablets and smartphones to use the same standard your cell phone company is likely providing to boost data speeds. In one case, an LTE-equipped router might one day communicate with all of your wireless devices without using traditional Wi-Fi.

Jacobs said the LTE standard was more advanced than Wi-Fi and capable of limiting interference to other devices. LTE could also be adopted for one-way broadcasts that other nearby users could watch without clogging the airwaves.

But unleashing LTE technology in the unlicensed Wi-Fi bands is likely to stir controversy if LTE avoids the interference it potentially creates for Wi-Fi users who find their current wireless devices compromised by the newest neighbor.