New LTE mobile broadband service to be trialled by O2

The testing of what is referred to as next-generation 4G data networks will take place in six countries around the world including the UK at some point next year according to a recent announcement by network operator O2.

Germany, Spain, Argentina, the Czech Republic and the UK will becomes the first countries to have trials of the Long Term Evolution technology or LTE carried out by the network operation. Mobile broadband speeds of up to 340Mbps could be achieved by this 4G network, which is 50 times quicker than then current mobile broadband connection speeds available in the UK of 7.2Mbps, and almost 100 times quicker that the average broadband connection speed that most consumers in the UK can achieve.

Julio Linares, the chief operating officer at O2’s parent company, Telefonica said “We are working with the conviction that we can only offer our clients the maximum levels of quality and innovation. To do this, we are defining our strategy and the rollout of LTE with the objective of driving mobile broadband and offering the best service from the moment that the equipment and terminals can support the new standards and are available for sale.”

The suppliers of the technology to be used in the field tests are likely to include Nokia Siemens, Ericsson and Huawei, and the trials of this new technology are set to begin in the early part of 2010. Although the countries that will be taking part in the trials have been names there has yet to be any indication of any specific areas.

The LTE trials in the UK will be the first tests to have been carried out by a network provider in this area. Localised tested of LTE technology by Motorola began in the Swindon area back in May but the intention to deploy LTE networks at some time in the future has also been indicated by other network providers like Vodafone and Orange.

Source – Telegraph