UK mobile operator Everything Everywhere and BT Wholesale, a division of incumbent BT, are to kick off what they describe as the country’s “first live trial” of 4G.
In the collaboration, the two companies will share their fixed and mobile technology to…
UK mobile operator Everything Everywhere and BT Wholesale, a division of incumbent BT, are to kick off what they describe as the country’s “first live trial” of 4G.
In the collaboration, the two companies will share their fixed and mobile technology to provide high-speed wireless broadband to customers in a rural part of the southwestern county of Cornwall.
The field trial, lasting from September until early 2012, will cover up to 100 mobile and 100 fixed-line customers near South Newquay. The companies are seeking volunteer participants.
In the trial, 2 x 10MHz of sample 800MHz spectrum will be tested for its suitability as a long-term complementary solution to fixed broadband technology for customers who get low speeds or are unable to access any broadband. Everything Everywhere said it would also test 4G enabled mobile handsets and broadband dongles as part of the trial.
Everything Everywhere CEO Tom Alexander said that sharing network and mobile assets would make a valuable contribution to the economics of rural broadband services.
“Our work with BT is providing a test bed for new technologies such as 4G LTE which, with the correct allocation of sub 1GHz spectrum from the Government, has the potential to make a real impact on the way in which we communicate in the future. The Government has previously stated its desire for the UK to have the best in class superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015, and we hope to help this vision become a reality.”
Sally Davis, CEO of BT Wholesale, said: “BT is committed to bringing the highest speed broadband to everyone in the UK, whether that’s over fibre, copper or airwaves. This is a great mixed economy example of innovation and collaboration by two organisations pushing the boundaries of technology for the benefit of customers.”
