First 4G LTE commercial mobile broadband service launched
TeliaSonera today launches what it claims to be the world’s first commercial 4G mobile broadband service, in Stockholm and Oslo.
Although there have been many trials of the 4G or Long Term Evolution (LTE) services across the world, today’s service is, the network operator claims, the first time a full commercial service has been on offer.
The operator is promising the fast mobile broadband service will be rolled out across the major cities of Sweden and Norway where it holds 4G licences. It also has a licence for Finland but has yet to make any announcements of when a commercial service may be offered there.
4G LTE mobile broadband
TeliaSonera is not predicting the speed at which Scandinavians will enjoy on their mobile or laptop but is estimating it should be ten times faster than the quickest 3G service. So, with a 4G service delivering at best 7 Mbps , it would appear safe to assume TeliaSonera is expecting to achieve a maximum of 70 to 80 Mbps.
Ultimately 4G/LTE aims for download speeds of 100 Mbps but, as ever with mobile, these are unlikely to be experienced in real world use because distance from the cell tower and the number of subscribers using it can have a large impact on actual speed.
The mobile operator is predicting, nonetheless, that the 4G service will allow laptop owners to stream high definition television, take part in online games as we well as participate in web conferences on the move.
As its President and Head of Mobility Services, Kenneth Karlberg, points out, modern use of the web means people on the move need higher download speeds.
“The use of mobile broadband in the Nordic countries is exploding and customers need higher speeds and capacity. This is why we launch 4G services in both Stockholm and Oslo,” he says.
“Being first out with new technology gives us unique experience that we can use on all our markets. We will continue the roll-out to offer our customers new communication services for the future.”
The company is expecting to make further announcements about dates and partners for a planned 4G roll out next year. The current Stockholm and Oslo networks have been supplied by Ericsson and Huawei respectively; both use Samsung modems.
