28Mbps HSPA+ rolling out in Italy, Germany
updated 05:35 pm EST, Wed February 18, 2009
HSPA+ in Italy, Germany
Ericsson on Wednesday announced it will partner with wireless provider Telecom Italia to bring wireless data speeds as fast as 28Mbps when downloading and 5.8Mbps when uploading thanks to HSPA+ technology. Milan will be the first Italian city to offer the fast speeds in June, with a nationwide rollout due for the second half of the year. At the same time, Telefónica O2 Germany has said it will launch its HSPA+ network for cellphones and computers in the second half of the year in Munich.
The Italian deployment will include Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) technology that uses two or more antenna branches to transmit data. The maximum speeds can be reached in ideal conditions, depending on congestion, distance from the cell tower, local conditions and available hardware and software, among other factors.
In Germany, O2 will partner with hardware maker Huawei to launch a test program for the HSPA+ network. Huawei will provide users with a USB modem for accessing the high-speed network. Huawei and O2 are already working together in Germany on expanding the country's O2 mobile network.
In the US, AT&T plans to bring out an HSPA+ data network later this year. [via TheUnwired]
