Telefonica Previews Faster 2.6 GHz 4G LTE Network at Mobile World Congress

Exploiting Alcatel-Lucent’s lightRadio technology and Samsung’s LTE (News - Alert) smartphones and tablets, European telecom giant Telefónica demonstrated 2.6 GHz 4G LTE network at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert). By comparison, the 2.6 GHz 4G delivers increased capacity in high data-traffic density areas and greater bandwidth than current LTE networks, said the European giant.

According to Telefónica, it is the first live experience of the world’s ‘smartest’ 4G network, in the most ambitious technological innovation ever deployed at the Mobile World Congress. The company claims that the network is the world´s first of its kind in the 2.6 GHz frequency band. It  provides download speeds of 100 Mbps, between 40-60 Mbps on upload, vastly improved indoor coverage and can increase capacity by up to 400 per cent in high density data-traffic areas, said the service provider. The latency time is around 20-25 ms.

Telefónica said that the lightRadio based network is a revolutionary first step towards a real HetNet network, which greatly improves mobile coverage by bringing small-cell base stations closer to the customer. In this deployment conventional radio base stations co-exist with 4G metro cells (small base stations incorporating antennas and radio) working on the same frequency and with no interference, said the developers.

As a strong supporter for Telefonica’s (News - Alert) LTE service initiative, Samsung is also presenting the first LTE smart mobile devices for band 7 (2.6 GHz), GALAXY S II LTE smartphone and GALAXY Tab 8.9 LTE tablet, which can be used on this new high-capacity network.

In a statement, Enrique Blanco, Telefónica’s chief technology officer said, “Today the future of mobile networks begins. The deployment of LTE that Telefónica has brought to the MWC, together with Alcatel -Lucent, gives us a glimpse of a tomorrow where everyone and everything is seamlessly connected, and in superfast time. But the challenge ahead is to ensure that all the technologies currently being deployed – 2G, 3G, LTE, Wi-Fi and Fiber – can co-exist to deliver next generation communications. Telefónica’s strategy is to develop intelligent networks that allow these different technologies to co-exist efficiently and cover customers’ growing connectivity needs in markets that are at different stages of development.”  

In another statement, Wim Sweldens, president of Alcatel-Lucent’s (News - Alert) Wireless Division commented, “This close collaboration with Telefónica through our co-creation program is a clear articulation of the future of mobile broadband. The wireless network of the future needs to be lighter, greener and closer to customers and deliver much higher capacity - that is what lightRadio is all about.”