Volunteers in South Newquay, Cornwall, will take part in the trial from September to December. The object is to see whether the LTE 4G network can provide a high-speed broadband service in rural areas where it would be too expensive to lay down new high-speed lines.
The network will provide speeds up to 100Mbit or faster to the volunteers. Some of them will be given wireless rotuers capable of connecting to the 4G network and providing Internet throughout a house, while others will be asked to test wireless dongles.
"Instead of building two networks, we're trying to do it with one," explained Emin Gurdeneli, VP of network services at Everything Everywhere.
"The customer will enjoy a broadband service at their premises, at their home etc, as if they had acquired it in the usual way. What will be different is our delivery mechanism."
The trial is being supported by Nokia, Siemems and Huawei also.
4G technology is expected to roll out properly in the UK by 2014, with networks set to bid on the 4G spectrum early next year. For the trial, BT and Everything Everywhere have been granted part of the 800Mhz spectrum, which is currently used for analogue television, which is in the process of being phased out in the UK.
Written by: James Delahunty @ 25 May 2011 2:28
