Telefónica claims to have reached download speeds of 800Mbps in 4G network trials in Spain, using LTE radio equipment from Nokia and a mobile device equipped with a Qualcomm LTE chipset.
The trio said they incorporated certain technical advances into the trial, including MIMO 4×4 technology, to multiply the number of data flows the test device could use on a cell site, and 256QAM modulation, to allow a greater number of bits per signal transmitted through the air.
Telefónica said the new technologies will be introduced into its Spanish operations in due course to increase the speed of mobile terminals on its network. The Qualcomm chipset use in the trial, a Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, will be used in forthcoming smartphones, it noted.
Joaquín Mata, Director of Operations and Network at Telefónica Spain, said: “Today’s test is one more milestone in Telefónica’s commitment to bringing the best mobile broadband network capabilities and best services to all customers. Without a doubt LTE-A will greatly surpass data transmission speeds of 1Gbps in the next few years. Today, after having reached 800 Mbps, we’re a little bit closer”.
Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice-President and President at Qualcomm Europe, added: “4×4 MIMO and 256QAM, which are supported by our Snapdragon X16 LTE modem, offer the operator significant advantages in terms of speed and capability. We will continue to collaborate with all the parties involved to transfer this improved experience to the end user.”