LTE: UK: EE to launch first 4G service.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: UK: EE to launch first 4G service.

EE has confirmed it will officially launch the UK’s first 4G service at the end of this month, announcing the availability of a range of handsets that will be compatible with the new network.

EE is the new 4G brand recently introduced by the country’s largest operator, Everything Everywhere, owner of the UK arms of T-Mobile and Orange.

While the operator had earlier pledged to switch on 4G-LTE in 16 UK cities by year-end, it appears to have held off on announcing an official launch date while regulator Ofcom was involved in ‘crunch’ talks with rival operators.

Ofcom announced earlier this week that all the country’s mobile operators should be in a position to launch LTE services using new spectrum from spring 2013, five months earlier than previously planned. This was seen as an attempt to appease Vodafone and O2, which had been angered by Ofcom’s controversial decision to allow EE to refarm its 1800MHz spectrum for LTE – and therefore launch 4G ahead of rivals.

“This is a significant milestone for the United Kingdom, and for the people and businesses of our country who will now be able to enjoy the huge advantages of superfast 4G technology for the first time,” said EE CEO Olaf Swantee .

EE will launch 4G in ten cities on the 30 October, and will cover 16 cities – a third of the UK population – by the end of the year. It is aiming for 98 percent coverage by 2014.

From today, the 4G ready Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE, HTC One XL and Huawei Ascend P1 LTE will be available to buy on Orange and T-Mobile 3G price plans. They join the iPhone 5 which was launched recently. Once 4G launches, Orange and T-Mobile customers with 4G ready handsets can then choose to move across to the new 4G EE customer brand or remain on the existing 3G network.

LTE: UK to launch LTE services in Spring 2013.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: UK to launch LTE services in Spring 2013.

UK regulator Ofcom has confirmed that all of the country’s mobile operators should be in a position to launch LTE services from spring 2013, five months earlier than previously planned.

In a statement yesterday, the regulator noted: “Following discussions with TV broadcasters, Digital UK and the transmission company Arqiva, Ofcom has secured the earlier release of frequencies that were previously used for digital-terrestrial broadcasting. This spectrum will now be cleared and ready for 4G mobile services across much of the UK five months earlier than previously planned, from spring 2013. This has only become possible in the past few months as a result of the significant progress that has been made to date with the digital switchover and the clearance programme itself, which has been running ahead of schedule.”

Specifically, Ofcom said that the clearance date for TV transmitters in Oxford and Waltham – which would otherwise prevent deployment of 4G mobile services to around 9 million people in cities including London, Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield – will be brought forward by five months to May 2013. Similarly, the clearance date for transmitters which impact around 1 million people in and around Glasgow and Edinburgh will be brought forward by more than three months to April 2013.

This progress comes in the same week that Ofcom has held “crunch meetings” with UK operators. The meetings appear to have been an attempt to appease Vodafone and O2, which have been angered by Ofcom’s controversial decision to allow market-leader Everything Everywhere (EE) to refarm its 1800MHz spectrum for early LTE services – and therefore launch 4G ahead of rivals. Last month EE launched a new 4G brand and pledged to launch LTE services in 16 UK cities by Christmas.

Auctions in the ‘digital dividend’ 800/2600MHz bands suitable for 4G are expected to start in December, with official bidding taking place early in 2013.

LTE: Brazil: Oi preparing LTE network build.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Brazil: Oi preparing LTE  network build.

Brazil’s number four operator Oi is to invest BRL1 billion (US$493 million) in developing an LTE network in the country between now and 2015 and plans to achieve 50 percent coverage in seven Brazilian cities by April 2013.

Oi’s chief executive Francisco Valim made the comments during the launch of a network using the new technology in Leblon, Rio de Janeiro, yesterday. Valim said the company will sign supplier contracts for 4G technology on October 16.

Oi’s plans come as Latin America’s largest mobile market is required to build-out 4G coverage in the host cities for the 2014 football World Cup, which is being held in Brazil.

In June the country’s four largest mobile operators all acquired 4G spectrum in auctions, netting BRL2.72 billion in total for the government. Telefonica’s Vivo submitted the highest winning bid (BRL1.05 billion), followed by America Movil’s Claro (BRL844.5 million), TIM Brasil (BRL375 million) and Oi (BRL345 million). 4G spectrum was up for grabs in both the 2.5GHz and 450MHz bands, suitable for urban and rural coverage respectively.

LTE: France: SFR to launch services in November.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: France: SFR to launch services in November.

French mobile operator SFR plans to launch 4G LTE service on 28 November this year. The operator had earlier scheduled the launch in early 2013 but now it has advanced the launch date. SFR will introduce LTE first in Lyon followed by other cities.

Operator had started 4G deployments during this year including Lyon and Montpellier and currently doing advanced pilot.

SFR also announced that its 3G+ (HSPA) network now covers 98.6% of the population and will reach the level of 99.3% population at the end of 2013. Operator also plans to provide Dual Carrier HSDPA + (DC-HSDPA+) coverage to 60% of the population by the end of 2012. Operator had started DC-HSDPA + deployments in 2011.

LTE: Mexico: Telefonica to deploy LTE in October.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Mexico: Telefonica to deploy LTE in October.

Telefonica Mexico is deploying LTE in the country  through its Movistar brand. The LTE service will be available from October this year. The announcement was made by Juan Antonio Abellán, CEO of Telefónica Mexico.

Telefónica will launch the first stage of the LTE network initially in the area of Polanco, Mexico City, Zapopan, Jalisco, and San Pedro, Nuevo Leon. 

At this time the company has one of the most modern mobile networks in the country and plans to invest more than three billion dollars in next generation networks during the remainder of 2012 and during 2013.

LTE: Huawei launches the Ascend P1 LTE smartphone. Video promo.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Huawei launches the Ascend P1 LTE smartphone. Video Promo.

Huawei announced availability of its Ascend P1 LTE smartphone, describing it as “the device compatible with the highest number of frequency bands”. As previously announced, it will initially be available in the UK through Everything Everywhere, with other markets set to follow.

According to the Chinese company, Ascend P1 LTE is being tested on operator networks across Europe, Latin America, North America and Asia Pacific regions. It is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and runs Android Ice Cream Sandwich.

Earlier this year, Huawei revealed aggressive smartphone targets for 2012,looking to ship 60 million devices – compared with 20 million in 2011. Much of the growth will come from its home market, as customers transition from smartphones to feature phones.

The company is already offering a non-LTE version of the Ascend P1 worldwide, and has created a TD-SCDMA market for China Mobile.

Specifications: (Please click on the two images below to enlarge the view)

Samsung and others OEM`s to boost Europe sales, thanks to iPhone 5 LTE limitations.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Samsung and others OEM`s to boost sales in Europe, thanks to the  iPhone 5 LTE limitations.

The European GSM model of the iPhone 5 supports LTE in the 850 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands. Those bands can be used by relatively few operators in Europe, including EE in the UK and Deutsche Telekom in Germany. Vodafone and Telefónica will be restricted to offering the latest Apple smartphone with access to their slower 3G services.

This iPhone 5's European LTE limitations will "push Vodafone and many other European operators harder into the arms of Samsung," especially as the South Korean company's popular Galaxy S line of phones includes an LTE version that is compatible with their networks, Robin Bienenstock, a London-based analyst for Sanford C. Bernstein, told Bloomberg.

The LTE limitations could also boost the sales of Nokia and HTC, which have each recently unveiled new high-end and mid-range smartphones running Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 software.

In an attempt to sidestep the issue, Telefónica's O2 UK said it plans to offer iPhone customers with a long-term contract the chance to upgrade to an LTE handset once the operator's own LTE service is launched. A company spokesman told Bloomberg that the operator will offer 10 per cent towards buying out the old contract and will pay the taxes.

Vodafone and Telefónica already offer LTE smartphones from Samsung, LG and HTC that can access their LTE networks using frequencies other than the 1800 MHz band.

However, Bienenstock told Bloomberg: "The question for operators now becomes in the near term--how sticky is Apple's software versus the better speeds of the Samsung Galaxy's, and how much subsidy will be put behind this?"

So, some of Europe's leading operators will likely offer cheaper and more varied alternatives to Apple's new iPhone 5 due to its limited support for European LTE frequencies.

LTE: Russia: Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) launched LTE services.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Russia: Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) launched LTE services.

Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has launched LTE services in most of Moscow and 40 population centers in Moscow regions. Nokia Siemens Networks announced that it is the sole vendor for the TD-LTE network launch and a range of comprehensive services. As part of the network, the company has provided its Single Radio Access Network (RAN) and Liquid Core based Evolved Packet Core (EPC).

MTS is focusing on achieving LTE coverage in 96% of Moscow by the end of 2012 and also plans to double the coverage in Moscow provinces from the current level of coverage in 40 towns.

Under the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks has provided its Single RAN platform, based on its compact, energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio Base Station for the TD-LTE network. The company has migrated MTS’ complete network from WiMAX, deploying 2,200 advanced, multi-technology base stations from its mobile broadband offering. Nokia Siemens Networks has also provided its Liquid Core based Evolved Packet Core (EPC) platform, including Flexi Network Server (NS) and Flexi Network Gateway (NG).

In addition, the company has provided its New Technology Home Location Register (NT-HLR) and Home Subscriber Server (HSS).

LTE: USA: AT&T launched New 4G LTE Markets.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: USA: AT&T  launched New 4G LTE Markets.

AT&T has launched LTE network in Detroit, MI; Honolulu, HI; Seattle, WA; Pittsburgh, PA and Portland, OR markets as it continues nationwide 4G LTE rollout. With this new addition, AT&T LTE network is now live in 72 markets.

According to AT&T,  its HSPA+ and LTE network covers 275 million people and almost 90 percent of its mobile data traffic now runs over enhanced backhaul that supports both HSPA+ and 4G LTE data traffic.

AT&T expects its LTE deployment to be largely complete by year-end 2013.

Over the past five years, AT&T invested more than $115 billion into operations and into acquiring spectrum and other assets that have enhanced our wireless and wired networks.

LTE: Austria: Telekom LTE offers largest country covering.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: Austria: Telekom LTE offers largest country covering.

Telekom Austria said that an independent audit by Systemics-PAB had shown its A1 LTE network offered the largest coverage in the country, with the operator stating that it has deployed the technology in all provincial capitals and major conurbations.

In a statement Hannes Ametsreiter, Telekom Austria’s group CEO, said that by the end of 2012 more than one quarter of the population will have LTE coverage, with DC-HSPA+ 3G coverage for around 70 percent.

LTE: SK Telecom launched HD Voice call service over LTE.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

LTE: SK Telecom launched HD Voice call service over LTE.

South Korean service provider SK Telecom has launched HD voice call service over LTE. According to the company, HD voice call connection time is less than 0.25 to 2.5 seconds, 2 to 20 times shorter than 3G voice calls that require an average of 5 seconds to connect a call.

SK Telecom claims to be first to offer high definition voice call service over LTE that can dramatically push up audio quality. HD Voice uses Adapted Multi-Rate Wide Band (AMR-WB) codec, which offers much upgraded 3G speech coding, and 23.85 Kbps transmission bandwidth, 2.2 times wider than that of 3G voice call, thereby transmitting the previously-inaudible low and high sound waves, and improving voice quality by 40% compared to that of 3G. HD Voice (AMR-WB) provides a much richer, clearer and more natural speech quality due to a wider speech bandwidth of 50–7000 Hz compared to 3G voice call service that is optimized for only 300–2400 Hz voice band.

Operator will offer HD Voice at same rates (KRW 1.8 per second) as that of 3G under pay-per-second billing scheme and allow users to make/receive HD Voice calls without going through a subscription process, thus enabling them to conveniently experience the high-quality, premium service with no additional cost burden.

The company will begin selling Galaxy S3 LTE embedded with HD Voice feature on August 8 and plans to offer firmware upgrades for existing users of Galaxy S3 LTE within this month. In addition SK Telecom plans to embed HD Voice as a basic feature in most of its LTE smartphones to be released in the future.

As an All IP-based premium service that provides high-quality voice, video and data in an integrated manner unlike traditional simple voice calls, HD Voice can be expanded to many new and value-added services. For instance, it offers both voice and video services characterized by seamless in-call voice-to-video call switching and content sharing by linking to RCS services.

SK Telecom completed nationwide LTE rollout (covering 99% of the population) by June 2012 and is providing LTE coverage in underground and in-building areas as well as mountainous region, and coastal/island/marine areas.

LTE: Alcatel Lucent and Sprint deal will speed Sprint LTE deployment

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

 

LTE: Alcatel Lucent and Sprint deal will speed Sprint LTE deployment.

Alcatel-Lucent's LightRadio gains traction as Sprint signs up for a substantial deployment. I.D. Scales reports.

Sprint is to deploy a substantial underlay of Alcatel Lucent's tiny LightRadio base stations as part of a complete revamp of its mobile network in the US.

 

Lots of interest and a slew of trials and commercial deployments have been ongoing since the company announced the tiny radio technology early last year, but this meaty order from the number three US mobile network will be seen as a major step forward for what Alcatel Lucent has been championing as a revolutionary new product set and micro base station approach. 

 

LightRadio is designed to enable operators to cope with rocketing mobile broadband demand by peppering hotspots with tiny and unobtrusive cells which can be made to support a heterogenous array of radio standards - Gs 2, 3 and 4 as well as WiFi. The technology uses a 'cloud' approach by separating out radio, antenna and processing functions and moving them about -  so that processing from muliple cells, for instance, might be aggregated at a processing point near the edge of the network.

This all helps to keep costs and power consumption down. 

 

Sprint is rolling out its new LTE network in the US and the LightRadio microcells are to perform an 'augmenting' role by providing dense coverage inside buildings and eventually in outside public areas - such as sports stadiums - where demand is high. This particular deployment will support LTE only. 

 

AlcaLu claims it has many more commercial deals in the pipeline (but can't talk about many of them). Telefonica, for instance, demonstrated indoor use of the tiny cells at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

 

News of Sprint's plans confirms the likely role the small cell option is going to play as operators build out their LTE networks. As more and more LTE devices are put in the hands of users the load on the macro network will increase but, as always with access networks, capacity problems happen at specific times and specific places (and these may change over time as the built environment in which they operate changes).

 

The underlay option means that small cells can be deployed on an as-needed basis in particular places (and perhaps only be active for a set time) enabling mobile operators to stay ahead of the demand curve with steady, incremental small cell investments, perhaps involving a range of radio standards (WiFi in particular) as demand increases. 

Huawei eyeing dominance of Global LTE market.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

Huawei  eyeing dominance of Global LTE market.

Chinese vendor Huawei is eyeing dominance of a global LTE network market that it expects to grow to more than 140 commercial operator deployments by the end of this year, one of the company's senior network heads told Mobile World Live.