A number of O2 mobile broadband users in Slough have been given LTE dongles to test out the new high-speed mobile network, seen as the successor to 3G.
Long Term Evolution technology, also known as 4G, is theoretically capable of providing browsing speeds of up to 150 megabits per second over the mobile phone data network, compared to the maximum speeds of about 7.2 megabits per second currently available in the UK for mobile broadband access.
“We are pleased to collaborate with Huawei [which made the dongle] on this LTE trial,” said Derek McManus, chief technology officer at O2. “It will allow us to better understand this emerging technology and prepare us in offering our customers next-generation mobile broadband services in the future.”
The Government recently pledged universal broadband access for all by 2012, at speeds of at least two megabits per second. Moble broadband i seen as a cheap way of doing this.
The 4G technology has already been successfully trialled in Scandinavia,two 4G networks have been completed in Oslo and Stockholm. Swedes and Norwegians could be logging on to the LTE network as early as next year using a laptop and dongle. Britain does not want to fall behind in this race.
However he technology uses the 800Mhz spectrum, a similar range to that used by set-top boxes and other TV equipment which means that it has the portential to interfere with TV pictures.
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