Scandinavia gets world's first LTE network; U.S. still puttering at 3G

In a move that bodes well for that website to download a little faster on your cellphone, Scandinavian service provider TeliaSonera just switched on the world's first Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellphone network in Stockholm and Olso. Right now the only product capable of receiving the beefy 4G bandwidth of LTE is a Samsung Kalmia modem USB dongle (Model GT-B3710), but handsets are planned for the New Year. Theoretical download speeds are said to be 10 times 3G, or 100Mbps, though realistically it would only be a fraction of that (still way better than 3G).

It's great to see LTE tech finally move out of the 'buzzed about on the Internet and at trade shows' phase and into the 'it's here' stage, though predictably it didn't happen in the U.S. (not exactly know for its innovative cellphone networks). It's not all bad news stateside, though: Sprint has been slowly but steadily expanding its 4G network, based on WiMax technology, and Verizon and AT&T have plans to deploy LTE networks next year and beyond. Maybe then we'll finally be able to use SlingPlayer for iPhone outside of a Wi-Fi hotspot.

[DVICE via TeliaSonera, via Engadget]

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Beceem announces the BCS500, a new WiMAX/LTE multi-mode chipset

Well known WiMAX Chipset manufacturer Beceem announced this week that it is developing a dual 4G chip that offers both WiMAX and LTE connectivity at downlink speeds up to 150 Mbps. The new BCS500 multi-mode chip will seamlessly handoff a connection between WiMAX and LTE and supports the latest revision of both standards. The chip could be a boon to both hardware manufacturers and MVNOs who can now design hardware and sell connectivity solutions that utilize both 4G networks. A dual 4G device also enables drop dead easy global roaming as a customer on an LTE network in the U.S. can utilize a WiMAX network while visiting Russia. Just in time for the commercialization of LTE in the United States, the Beceem BCS500 is expected to be sampled to customers in Q4 2010 and available for mass production in Q2 2011.
[BGR]

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