In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to the 3G and 2G families of standards. In 2009, the ITU-R organization specified the IMT-Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced) requirements for 4G standards, setting peak speed requirements for 4G service at 100 Mbit/s for high mobility communication (such as from trains and cars) and 1 Gbit/s for low mobility communication (such as pedestrians and stationary users).
A 4G system is expected to provide a comprehensive and secure all-IP based mobile broadband solution to laptop computer wireless modems, smartphones, and other mobile devices. Facilities such as ultra-broadband Internet access, IP telephony, gaming services, and streamed multimedia may be provided to users.
Orange’s CEO, Jean Marc Vignolles announced Wednesday that the broadband business VoIP service solutions company will launch the LTE, which will provide fourth generation mobile services with speeds of over 100 Megs commercially in Valencia and Barcelona in the next six months.
Specifically, the company will launch the first commercial LTE offerings before the end of the year in Valencia and early 2012 in Barcelona. Vignolles explained that the recent spectrum auction by the Ministry of Industry, where the company invested 563 million Euros, will accelerate the comprehensive renewal of its telephone system network.
The whole of Valencia will likely be covered by the mobile-based VoIP phone system company, allowing some 500,000 inhabitants to enjoy the new technology, while in Barcelona, during the first quarter of 2012, service will be available for almost 50 percent of the population.
In addition, later this year, Orange will have about 5,000 modernized multi-technology capable nodes supplying 2G, EDGE or 3G bands with 1800 MHz and 900 MHz, as well as fully IP-ready to offer differentiated high quality LTE services.
“After the spectrum auction has been cleared we will have a comprehensive plan for the coming years,” said the CEO of Orange during his speech at the XXV days UIMP telecommunications.
TRIPLE INVESTMENT IN BROADBAND
As for the wire line, Vignolles highlighted the “strong commitment towards investment” of the group in Spain, where in general they have not invested “too much”, and said that Orange would double and even triple their investment if they are given better conditions.
Currently, there is a commitment to open 100 new plants ADSL ULL (fully unbundled loop zones) in the next 12 months, allowing Orange to provide direct coverage to 70% of the Spanish population.
The manager noted that there is a “firm” commitment by the investor group towards fiber. In this sense, Orange is the “only” alternative company that provides commercial supply of optical fiber in the market through multiple channels, such as agreements with private operators own displays using neutral telephone equipment networks or public operators, he said.
MORE COOPERATION BETWEEN OPERATORS
Moreover, the manager pointed out that European-level cooperation has been among the top five operators indicated that, although there will remain a necessary expertise in house, the future will be more cooperation. For the manager, budget constraints make it impossible in public support for the investment of operators, which necessitates the sharing networking company.
For this reason, Orange explores opportunities for collaboration with other operators in access from the central to the buildings as the wiring inside buildings. The company will continue to seek agreements with operators neutral, public or private, in order to get this kind of advanced services to as many users as possible.