Telecom Italia is launching public trials of new services based on LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology, offering data transmission speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s for downloads and 50 Mbit/s for uploads, providing services and high-definition multimedia content at the same time.
For the first time in Italy, between tomorrow and 22 February people in Turin will be able to experience the potential of next-generation ultra-broadband mobile networks at TIM’s point of sale on Via Lagrange 20, where special demo stations will be open to the public. The new LTE USB dongles are pre-configured and connected in ultra-broadband mode to show what high-speed mobile services are like for accessing HD video streaming, on demand content and freely surfing the web.
This venture is part of the next-generation mobile network national development plan in which Telecom Italia has invested €1.26 billion to acquire 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz frequencies, confirming the company’s desire to build increasingly modern networks capable of offering new, technologically-advanced services that cater to customer needs and the increasing quantities of traffic generated by cellphones, USB dongles, smart phones and tablets.
The launch of this trial phase prior to the commercial rollout of LTE technology-based services is the culmination of a path Telecom Italia has been following since late 2009 as it develops its new ultra-broadband network. Telecom Italia was a leading player in the world’s first ever field trial in Turin, where the Group’s TILab R&D centre is located. The LTE project continued in 2010 and 2011 with a series of tests to perfect technological solutions and interoperability between the various different network elements.
Turin, 15 February 2012
