The UK operator also plans to launch VoLTE in the short term
U.K. telecom operator EE plans to start offering 4G LTE services through spectrum in the 800 MHz band by the end of this year, according to reports.
The telco acquired 2×5 megahertz of paired 800 MHz spectrum in an auction, which took place in 2013. Until now, the operator offered LTE services across the U.K. through spectrum in the 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands. The telco had initially launched LTE services in 2013.
According to EE’s director of network services and devices, Tom Bennett, the new spectrum will complement existing coverage provided by the 1800 MHz band. Bennett also said that EE will commercially launch voice over LTE in the U.K. through spectrum in the 1800 MHz band.
“Trials of 4G on 1800 MHz have been ongoing all year, covering urban and rural areas,” Bennett said. “We’ll start switching it on, with an initial focus on rural, later this year.”
The executive said that VoLTE trials have been recently expanded to the telco’s entire network.
“Our VoLTE service is now live, for a multi-user, multi-device Internal trial,” Bennett said. “We’ve been testing it with a small group for the last few months, and the larger trial will help us optimize the network to reach the necessary performance.”
EE ended the second quarter of the year with 10.9 million LTE subscribers. According to the company’s latest financial report, EE aims to reach 14 million LTe customers by the end of 2015.
EE was formed in 2010 as a joint venture between Deutsche Telekom and Orange through the merger of their respective T-Mobile and Orange businesses in the U.K.
Ericsson, Sony Mobile and SK Telecom trial IoT wearables over LTE
Swedish telecoms vendor Ericsson, Sony Mobile and South Korean mobile operator SK Telecom announced they are currently testing “Internet of Things” wearable devices over LTE.
The companies conducted lab testing of the key functionalities of LTE devices Category 0 and Category M (machine -type communication) in Ericsson radio labs in Kista, Sweden, in early September. Field trials are planned in SK Telecom’s network in South Korea later this year.
IoT wearables testing and trials are part of SK Telecom’s partnership with Ericsson on the development of technology for the “Internet of small things.”
