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O2 claims to hit 150Mbps speeds in London 4G trial
Download rates of up to 150Mbps have been achieved during O2's trial of 4G technology in London.
The service provider switched on its 4G network in the capital last November, offering hundreds of businesses, customers and venue owners the opportunity to test its super-fast mobile broadband product.
Stretching from Hyde Park to The O2 in Greenwich, the infrastructure comprises 25 4G sites covering 40sq km of the capital, including key areas such as Canary Wharf, Kings Cross, Soho, South Bank and Westminster.
Unveiling the first details of speeds available to users of the mobile broadband service, O2 said trialists receive average download rates of 20 to 50Mbps.
Commenting on the future of 4G, chief executive of O2 UK Ronan Dunne hailed the forthcoming auction of additional spectrum as a "watershed moment" for the industry, as it will release the airwaves that will power "a whole range of exciting next-generation mobile services".
"The new spectrum will increase capacity, quality and speed - we estimate that mobile broadband capacity will increase by 20 to 40 times from today's levels - and will allow us to deliver true connectivity through a suite of innovative digital services, that work seamlessly and at speed for the benefit of consumers, business and UK plc," he commented.
It is hoped that the auction will get underway at the end of 2012, but the process has been hit by several delays due to opposition from network operators about the way it is being organised.
The latest contentious issue related to the spectrum sell-off is Ofcom's plan to allow Everything Everywhere to launch a 4G service before the end of this year by utilising some of the carrier's existing airwaves.
O2 and Vodafone have both expressed opposition to this move, arguing that it would give Everything Everywhere an unfair head start over the rest of the market.