Pilot for rural LTE network launched by O2

The new mobile broadband technology known as Long Term Evolution or LTE is currently entering into its next stage of development in Germany as mobile network operator Telefónica O2 begins rolling out new pilot schemes in the more rural parts of the country.

November will see the first pilot networks using LTE technology with 800 MHz being activated in Ebersburg near Munich and Teutschenthal near Halle. A month later the new broadband network is to be made available to the first customers subscribing to the O2 network and following this the building and commercialisation of LTE networks throughout Germany is expected to take place in 2011.

The CEO for Telefónica O2, René Schuster advised “Friendly user trials will begin in December when selected O2 customers will be able to use the LTE pilot networks. In 2011 we will then supply up to 1,500 locations with LTE and will initiate the commercial use.” Frequencies of 800 MHz, which were made available from digital dividends, will be used in the rural parts of the country by O2 and it is expected that the telecoms provider will play an important part in providing every rural area in Germany with broadband using the new LTE mobile broadband technology.

A new website was recently launched by O2 that shows the advantages of using LTE mobile broadband, provides information about the new technology and explains how the networks are built. This information is available to anyone registering on the website and users will also be able to use the site to find out where LTE is being made available and when.

The CEO and Chairman of Telefónica Europe, Matthew Key said “Telefónica is a global leader in LTE with trials well advanced in six countries in Europe and Latin America. Germany is a key market for LTE where we have successfully tested this next generation technology and will soon start friendly user tests with customers in network pilots at both urban and rural locations.”

Source – O2