The haves of LTE1800 in Europe
You may have noticed that Apple launched a new version of its phone yesterday. One of the key aspects of the phone was its support for LTE. The most notable element for the European audience is that of three key LTE bands in Europe, only one is currently supported – LTE1800MHz.
Due to a spot of bother in the UK, most people know that 1800MHz is the band that EE is launching in. But which other European operators have the potential to launch an LTE iPhone5 – before versions of the phones are pushed out with radio support for the other two bands at 800MHz and 2.6GHz?
In Europe, the EC has said that national regulators must allow refarming of 1800MHz spectrum, as long as there are no major competitive issues (this has been the nub of the problems in the UK). That means that, potentially, any holder of 1800 spectrum could use it for LTE, as long as it can clear enough channel bandwidth to do so.
But some are more ready than others, and are theoretically in a position to offer the iPhone 5 on LTE – if they can do the deal with Apple, of course.
READY and able
Using information provided by the GSA in its GSA Evolution to LTE report, published in July 2012, and some more recent news, here are the operators that currently have commercial LTE1800 services in Europe:
Azerbaijan (Azercell)
Bulgaria (Vivacom, M-Tel)
Czech Republic (Telefonica O2)
Croatia (VIPNet, subsidiary of Telekom Austria and T-Hrvatski)
Denmark (Telia)
Estonia (EMT)
Finland (TeliaSonera, Elisa, DNA)
Germany (Deutsche Telekom)
Hungary (T-Mobile/ Telenor)
Latvia (TeliaSonera/ LMT)
Lithuania (TeliaSonera/ Omnitel)
Poland (Aero2/ Mobyland/ CenterNet)
Portugal (Optimus)
Slovenia (Si.mobil launched, Mobitel to launch in 2012)
United Kingdom (EE)
NEARLY there, or on the way…
In Belgium, Proximus has plans to launch LTE1800 before the end of the year, and Mobystar has also said it would launch LTE1800.
In France, Orange and Bouygues have both been trialling LTE at 1800. FT/Orange has a trial LTE network in Paris supporting FDD (800, 1800, 2600 MHz) and TDD modes and a pilot LTE network in Marseille. Service launch is expected in the 2012-13 timeframe. Bouygues Telecom is trialing LTE1800 in 10 MHz bandwidth using 2×2 MIMO at sites in Orléans and plans to deploy 5,000 LTE-capable base stations by the end of 2012 with service launch in 2013. The company is running a pilot network in Lyon from June 2012.
In Italy, 3 Italia, Vodafone and Telecom Italia all have plans for LTE1800. 3 Italia is deploying LTE1800 and from 2013 intends to offer multicarrier aggregation (an LTE-A feature) allowing LTE1800 and LTE2600 to be used together.
In Portugal, Vodafone commercially launched LTE service on March 12, 2012 in 2.6 GHz. The LTE network will eventually use 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2.6 GHz.
In Spain, Yoigo holds 1800MHz spectrum that it intends to use for LTE.
In Russia, Tele2 has been trialling LTE1800, and wants to depoy services.
In Sweden, Net4Mobility and Telia Sonera have both acquired spectrum in the 1800 band, which they will be able to use for LTE from January 2013. Net4Mobility and TeliaSonera each has 2 x 35 MHz in 1800 MHz.
In the UK, 3 UK has agreed to purchase 2 x 15 MHz of 1800 MHz spectrum from Everything everywhere, and plans commercial launch of LTE service in 2013.
In Turkey Avea has conducted trials in its 1800 spectrum.