Telefonica, partners plan LTE trials

Spanish-based telecom giant Telefonica said it reached an agreement with a half-dozen LTE equipment suppliers to launch test projects in six different countries in preparation of rolling out LTE-based networks in markets where the carrier operates.
The suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, L.M. Ericsson, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., NEC, Nokia Siemens Networks and ZTE Corp. The six-month testing period will consist of field tests and installation of e-node B’s, also known as femtocells.
The lucky six countries selected for testing include Telefonica’s home market of Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Czech Republic, Brazil and Argentina.
Telefonica, which claims more than 264 million mobile subscribers worldwide, said the testing will help “determine its fourth generation mobile network strategy, defining its needs and predicting the execution times for roll out and marketing.”
Earlier this year Telefonica demonstrated a Voice over Internet Protocol call over LTE and downloads of data and images at speeds in excess of 140 megabits per second using an Ericsson-supplied LTE mini-network.
Similar tests have been conducted in the U.S. by Verizon Wireless and its network partners Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson. Verizon Wireless has said it plans to launch LTE networks in Seattle and Boston by the end of this year with plans to cover at least 25 markets by the end of next year and nationwide coverage by 2013.