Posted: 22nd Dec, 2011 By: MarkJ


Mobile operator Three (3) has confirmed that its first
technical trials of next generation 4G superfast Mobile Broadband services using
Long Term Evolution ( LTE ) technology at
2.6GHz will take place for one month during March 2012.
According to the
FT, Three (3)'s trial will take place on a test network in
Maidenhead and
Slough (west of London in the Thames Valley area) and with several pre-selected groups.
Consumer trials are expected to follow later in 2012.
Three (3)'s CEO, David Dyson, said:
"Our ability to provide all you can eat data packages depends on a combination of smart network management, improved technology and the spectrum that is the lifeblood of mobile."
Meanwhile Three (3) is also continuing to rollout a 3G based
HSPA+ upgrade across its network, which is expected to be
fully complete by early next year and should help to improve overall speeds and latency.
The first national commercial rollout of future 4G services isn't expected until late 2013 or early 2014, after Ofcom's auction of spectrum in the related
800MHz and
2.6GHz bands. All of the main mobile operators have now announced related trials.