O2's newly launched trial of super-fast 4G mobile broadband in London has been hailed as a driver of long-term economic growth by the government.

The network operator will roll out 4G services, also known as Long-Term Evolution, to a 40km sq area of the capital as part of the trial, which will run until June 2012.

Key locations such as Canary Wharf, Soho and Westminster are among those included in the pilot scheme.

Responding to the announcement, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said initiatives of this type support the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition's aim of stimulating innovation and delivering a stronger economy.

"We welcome O2's 4G trial in London, which is a positive example of how firms are continuing to invest in and develop the type of communications services that will keep the UK at the forefront of the digital revolution," he added.

By the end of this month, more than 25 4G sites are due to go live across London, with consumers set to gain access to the super-fast mobile broadband service via Samsung B3730 dongles.

Over 1,000 individuals are expected to take part in the trial, including readers of the recently created tech news site Gizmodo UK, who will be taking part in the scheme for three months.

Some participants will be chosen at a Gizmodo UK launch party at The O2 and will be urged to give feedback on the performance of the technology via a readers' panel.

Kat Hannaford, editor of Gizmodo, said the trial is "great news" for Britain and expressed her delight that readers of the publication are playing a key role in the project.

She admitted it will take "several years" for 4G services to be available to consumers across the country, but added: "This is a big step forward for the industry and an exciting development for the UK's capital." 

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