In this paper, the potential application of adaptive lattice equalisers based on gradient search adaptive
algorithms, is examined. The assessment is based on simulations of equaliser performance in data communications
systems which provides a comparison of the relative performance of these adaptive lattice equalisers
with transversal equalisers. It highlights the critical balance between rapid convergence and degradation due to
algorithm noise, which is involved when selecting the algorithm stepsize. Two new adaptive equaliser
approaches are suggested, one based on a timed lattice structure feeding a linear combiner. The other is a short
timed lattice structure in cascade with a transversal equaliser. Both approaches are shown to offer fast converging
adaptive equalisers for data communications applications, which have a converged error performance superior
to that of the direct application of a gradient adaptive lattice equaliser