Brussels, 6 May 2014 - Mobistar is the first Belgian operator to have successfully tested a true 4G+ network, offering a throughput of over 200 Mbps. For this premiere, Mobistar combined its 4G frequencies of 1,800 and 800 MHz. The aggregation of these two frequencies allows a more efficient use of the spectrum, thus offering higher speeds and a better coverage inside buildings. Mobistar will market this technology once 4G+ compatible devices have become available on the market and the national coverage is sufficiently homogeneous to offer a high-quality customer experience. After the results of the Commsquare studies and those of the Ookla tests published in the first quarter, this innovation once again demonstrates Mobistar´s technological lead in the field of very high-speed mobile networks in Belgium.
The first tests on the 4G+ network (also called LTE-Advanced) in a real situation over the entire territory of the city of Mechelen - and thus representative of the future data network - were completed successfully. Within this framework Mobistar aggregated its 1,800 MHz (20 MHz of spectrum) and 800 MHz (10 MHz of spectrum) frequencies, which allows a more efficient use of the spectrum. Combining the two frequencies results in an average gain of 30 % for indoor coverage and a significant increase in the capacity of the bandwidth. "This 4G+ technology is the future of high-speed mobile and will enable a great improvement in flexibility and performances for the user", explains Gabriel Flichy, Chief Network Officer at Mobistar.
After the 4G preview launch in Antwerp in 2012, Mobistar has thus just offered a first city 4G+ coverage: Mechelen. The tests began in January and were completed at the end of April 2014. They were performed with a CAT6 CPE E5186s-22a prototype device from Huawei, and the results are spectacular. With the aggregation of the 1,800 and 800 MHz frequencies with a spectrum of 30 MHz, the speeds reach 213 Mbps in downloading and 41 Mbps in uploading.
Mobistar will deploy the 4G+ technology wherever it possesses both 800 and 1,800 MHz sites as soon as compatible devices are available on the market. Moreover, Mobistar will market this technology once the national coverage is sufficient to guarantee a high-quality customer experience.