du has successfully conducted and completed its first pilot on Long Term Evolution (LTE) on its mobile network supporting mobile broadband speeds upto 150 Mbps. The pilot was conducted in April 2011. Commercial launch of LTE services is slated for the second half of 2011.
This move follows closely on the heels of du’s launch of the latest 42 Mbps mobile broadband services, currently the fastest in the country, after having recently upgraded its network to next-generation DC-HSPA+ technology. This initiative is part of du’s long-term initiative to constantly develop and bring unmatched user experiences to the telecom sector.
The company collaborates with well-known telecom solutions providers and is conducting pilots with technology and network partners to evaluate the different LTE solutions and their compatibility on its network. During the pilot, du’s network team successfully completed the first LTE call on its network achieving mobile broadband speeds of upto 150 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speeds.
“Mobile broadband is increasingly gaining traction and we are proud to be one of the early operators in the world to begin trials of LTE – arguably one of the most cutting-edge telecom technologies, also referred to as 4G. At du, we are constantly exploring new opportunities and pushing the boundaries, so that our customers benefit from some of the most innovative services available in the world,” said Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du.
“Technology evolves continuously and today we are excited about LTE and what it can do to enhance the broadband experience of our customers. We are committed to bring the latest technology to the UAE and be among the early adopters of the latest advances in communication technologies. We are in the process of selecting and cooperating with the right partners, to enable our customers to be among the first users of LTE in the world,” concluded Hatem Bamatraf, Senior Vice President, Network Development, du.
