U.K.-based operator Everything Everywhere said it was set to double its current LTE network speeds with the increase of 1.8 GHz spectrum dedicated to its offering from the current 10 megahertz to 20 megahertz. The carrier noted the move should see average network speeds jump to 20 megabits per second.
The network upgrade is scheduled to be rolled out this summer across Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Sheffield, with trials in Cardiff producing network speeds of up to 80 Mbps. The carrier added that it plans to have up to 1 million customers on its LTE network by the end of the year and that 24% of its total data traffic now runs across its LTE network. Everything Everywhere said it was investing more than $2.4 billion into the rollout of its LTE services, with plans to expand coverage by 2,000 square miles per month and 98% of the population covered by the end of 2014.
EE was the first U.K. operator to rollout LTE services late last year after having garnered permission from telecom regulator Ofcom to use its 1.8 GHz spectrum band for LTE services. That band was initially set aside to support only GSM-based 2G services.
Ofcom recently concluded a spectrum auction of licenses in the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz band set aside for “4G” services that generated $3.5 billion in winning bids. EE spent $896 million for 10 megahertz of spectrum in the 800 MHz band and 70 megahertz of spectrum in the 2.6 GHz band that it said it plans to use to further supplement its LTE services.
“Not so long ago, it looked like Britain would be condemned to the slow lane for years to come,” noted Matthew Howett, telecom regulation analyst at Ovum, on the latest news from EE. “However in just six months, over half the U.K. has now been covered with 4G LTE with a rollout that’s continuing at pace. While EE certainly hasn’t taken its head start for granted, the real test will come once Vodafone, O2 and Three launch 4G LTE networks of their own after winning spectrum in the recent 4G auction – a moment that is now just a matter of weeks away.”
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