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European cellcos trial next gen networks
Published: 15 January, 2009
Tags >> Europe
Vodafone in Spain and TeliaSonera in Sweden - the latest European cellcos to defy the downturn and step up trials of new technologies.
Vodafone has carried out successful trials of HSPA+, the latest in the HSPA standards family, achieving peak download rates of 16Mbps. The operator now plans to trial mobile data connections with peak rates of up to 21Mbps, by using HSPA+ with MIMO smart antenna arrays (the 16Mbps speed did not use the MIMO option, and ran in a 64QAM modulation).
Vodafone claims the MIMO enhanced system will be able to deliver a typical video download at over 13Mbps in good conditions and 4Mbps across a full range of typical cells including urban environments. A successful trial of this network will lead to commercial deployment in some networks by year end and Vodafone is also stepping up tests of devices for both 64QAM and MIMO implementations, both of which will require handset or dongle upgrades. Its Spanish tests were conducted with Ericsson and Qualcomm.
Ericsson is also, predictably, the key partner in TeliaSonera's trial of LTE, and the Swedish giant has signed its first commercial LTE contract with its home operator, to cover capital Stockholm during 2010. Ericsson will provide network equipment and implementation services and will manage the network during the initial period. The vendor will supply base stations from its new RBS6000 Series, Evolved Packet Core equipment and backhaul based on its Redback SmartEdge 1200 routers and new EDA multi-access aggregation switch. No financial details were provided.
