LTE deployments in various countries

This is compiled from various sources. Readers may cross check for data consistencies.

Singapore - SingTel launched commercial  LTE service on December 22, 2011 in 1800 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum

StarHub has completed LTE testing in 2.6 GHz and 1800 MHz and an LTE1800 network in refarmed 1800 MHz  is being deployed for commercial launch in Q4 2012

Malaysia - Celcom is trialling LTE  in 1800 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum. DiGi plans to  launch LTE  in 2.6 GHz  by 2013. U 

Mobile announced on March 15, 2011 plans to launch a commercial LTE network in 2.6 GHz.

Japan - Softbank Mobile,  a member of the Global TD-LTE Initiative,  commercially launched  XGP/LTE TDD services  on February 24, 2012 following a  precommercial pilot service  which began  November 1, 2011. The network is deployed in 20 MHz of 2.5 GHz spectrum  bought from Willcom (PHS operator).

China - China Mobile HK launched commercial LTE FDD services in 2.6 GHz on April 25, 2012 and is evolving the network to also support LTE TDD this year. In  an announcement on December 29, 2011  OFCA launched a consultation on auctioning spectrum in the 2.5/2.6GHz range, offering five blocks of 2 x 5 MHz, by  auction  which would be held  in Q1 2013 at the earliest.

China Mobile plans to have  20,000  LTE TDD base sites  covering 500 million people by end 2012, increasing to 200,000 by end 2013. Commercial service launch is anticipated in 2013-2014. China Mobile has 1.9 GHz, 2.0 GHz,
2.3 GHz and 2.6 GHz bands (classified as  F, A, E and D bands). The trials use the D and F bands.

Honk Kong - 2 x 15 MHz blocks of 2.6 GHz spectrum  were obtained  via auction each by China Mobile  HK  (Peoples Phone), Genius Brand (Hutchison Telecom/PCCW JV) and CSL Limited.

Australia - ACMA announced the first formal steps toward a joint auction of new licences in 700 MHz DD and 2.6 GHz.

Mexico -Telefónica and Telcel have conducted tests of LTE. Telcel is preparing for commercial launch  to consumers  during April 2012.  Telefónica  plans to launch LTE by 2013.  The  government  plans to auction new spectrum in 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz. 

Brazil -Sky Brasil commercially launched LTE TDD services (2.6 GHz - Band 38) on December 13, 2011 in Brasilia. 

More cities will be covered in 2012.

Claro has been testing LTE in 2.6 GHz since Q4 2011

Canada -The 2.6 GHz trial  was enabled by  a development license from regulator Industry Canada. Industry Canada is preparing to auction 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum in 2012 and will hold a 6-hour  information session on May 30, 2012

Sri-Lanka Mobitel announced on May 6, 2011 completion of an LTE trial, which achieved 96 Mbps downlink speed in 

2.6 GHz. More trials are planned in other bands.

Taiwan -Chunghwa Telecom has been trialling LTE  in 2.6 GHz and 700 MHz spectrum.  The company  has 

completed LTE tests on the high-speed rail system in TDD  and FDD modes using 2.6 GHz. 

Vietnam -RusViet Telecom  (an Alltech company) trialled an LTE network in 2010 in Hanoi.  The company plans 

expanding coverage  of  its 2.6 GHz LTE network in 2012, including to Hi Chi Minh.

Armenia -VivaCell-MTS announced commercial launch of LTE services on December 28, 2011, initially in Yerevan, 

using 2.6 GHz spectrum.

Austria -Regulator  TKK completed the auction of 2.6 GHz spectrum on September 20, 2010, raising €39.5m from  A1  Telekom Austria, Hutchison 3, T-Mobile and Orange. 14 paired and 9 unpaired frequency blocks were  sold. License conditions require coverage of at least 25% of the population by 2013. A1  Telekom  commercially  launched LTE in Vienna and St. Pölten on November 5, 2010. T-Mobile Austria launched a 60-cell site pilot LTE network in Innsbruck in July 2009 and entered a soft launch phase on October 19, 2010. In May 2011, the first LTE base station in Vienna went live. On July 28 the company  commercially  launched LTE and its Internet All Inclusive LTE tariff. 

Orange Austria has tested LTE technology and acquired 2 x 10 MHz of 2.6 GHz spectrum in the 2010 auction.

Belgium -Regulator  BIPT  auctioned  4G licenses  for a total of US$ 103.7 million, comprising  45 MHz of  2.6 GHz 

TDD spectrum and 3 x 20 MHz paired blocks in 2.6 GHz for FDD systems.

Denmark -Telia  launched the first commercial LTE system in Denmark on December  9,  2010 in Copenhagen, 

Aarhus, Odense and Aalborg in the 2.6 GHz band (20 MHz). On October 10, 2011 LTE commercial service
was introduced using 10 MHz of 1800 MHz spectrum (LTE1800) as a complement to the 2.6 GHz service.
Tri-band (800/1800/2600)  LTE  dongles and routers have been available since the summer.

Finland -20-year 2.6 GHz licenses were auctioned by regulator FICORA on 23 November 2009: TeliaSonera launched the first commercial  LTE service in Finland on November 30, 2010  in Turku and Helsinki. LTE1800 was commercially launched as a complement to 2.6 GHz on August 31, 2011. Elisa commercially  launched its  2.6 GHz  LTE network  for corporate users on December 8, 2010, and announced its first client.

France -SFR trialled LTE in Marseille in 2011 and is deploying its commercial network  in 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz.

ARCEP  auctioned 2.6 GHz spectrum and confirmed the successful bidders and allocations:
 Bouygues: 2535-2550 MHz/2655-2670 MHz·
 Free Mobile: 2550-2570 MHz/2670-2690 MHz·
 FT/Orange: 2515-2535 MHz/2635-2655 MHz·
 SFR: 2500-2515 MHz/2620-2635 MHz·

Germany -A multiband spectrum auction was completed in May 2010, covering 360 MHz in 4 bands: 800 MHz (digital 

dividend), 1800 MHz, 2.1 GHz, 2.6 GHz.  All 4 incumbents acquired 2.6 GHz  to be used  for LTE.

Italy -3 Italia is deploying LTE1800 and from 2013 intends to offer multicarrier aggregation (an LTE-A feature) 

allowing LTE1800 and LTE2600 to be used together.

Netherlands -2.6 GHz FDD spectrum was auctioned in April 2010 and awarded to incumbents  KPN,  Vodafone,  TMobile, and newcomers Ziggo 4 (currently an MVNO on KPN’s network)  and  Tele2. The TDD spectrum 

was not bought. Ziggo launched its commercial LTE service on May 3, 2012 for its Internet Plus business customers in Breda, Oss and Zwolle.

Norway -Norway held Europe’s first 2.6 GHz auction in 2007 which  was awarded to incumbents TeleNor and 

TeliaSonera (NetCom); total allocation 2 x 90 MHz. TeliaSonera launched the world’s first LTE networks
in Oslo and Sweden in December 2009.

Russia -On February 2, 2012 MTS announced the company had been awarded the first license to provide  LTE 

services in Moscow and the Moscow region. The license granted is for  LTE TDD  deployment  in the 2595 – 2620 MHz range. 

Spain - In June 2010  Ministerio de Industria, Turismo Comercio (MITYC) launched a consultation on reallocation of  2.6 GHz  and  re-farming of 900/1800 MHz. An auction  began on  June 29, 2011  for 58 blocks of 800, 900 MHz and 2.6 GHz  frequencies, with licences valid to 2030. The auction  ended on July 29, 2011  raising  €1.65bn for 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz licenses. Spectrum  was  won by  Vodafone, Telefónica  and  FT-Orange. 

Sweden - Tele2 Sweden  and TeleNor Sweden deployed an LTE network  through a jointly-owned company 

(Net4Mobility), which  includes spectrum sharing in 900 MHz and 2.6 GHz. 

UK -O2 has tested LTE in 2.6 GHz spectrum  and  has trialled LTE800 in  Carlisle  since mid 2010. In November 2011 the company began  a large-scale LTE trial in central London, to run until June 2012. O2 has 20 MHz of test spectrum  in  the 2.6 GHz band. 

Saudi Arabia -Etisalat (Mobily)  commercially launched LTE TDD on September 14, 2011 via its Bayanat subsidiary, in 

Najran, Jazan, Al Kharj, Ras tanoura, Algurayat and Aldudam in band 38 (2.6 GHz).

South Africa -MTN  is  deploying LTE1800 as  2.6 GHz is not available.  In the longer term 2.6 GHz and 800 MHz are sought.

UAE - Etisalat launched commercial LTE  service on September 25, 2011. LTE USB modems were widely
introduced at Etisalat outlets on December 18, 2011. Etisalat uses 2.6 GHz spectrum indoors and 1800
MHz spectrum outdoors, and is seeking an allocation of  800 MHz for nationwide  coverage.

Romania 4G Auction Rusults:
Slice 2: Bands / Block Won (each block is of 15 Mhz)
800 - Cosmote (1), Orange (2), Vodaphone (2)
900 - Cosmote (2), Orange (2), RCS&RDS (1), Vodaphone (2)
1800 - Cosmote (5), Orange (4), Vodaphone (6)
2600 - Cosmote (2), Orange (4), 2K Telecom (2), Vodaphone (1)