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EE begins rolling out a faster 4G network
Like any four-year-old, EE's 4G network hasn't yet fulfilled its potential. For its last major upgrade, the carrier flipped the switch on Cat 6 LTE-Advanced two years ago; and today, EE has announced it's begun rolling out even faster Cat 9 technology (the first UK provider to do so, it seems). This increases the maximum theoretical download speed on EE's "4G+" network from 300 Mbps to 450 Mbps, though real-world testing puts the max at more like 360 Mbps. The catch? Only a handful of phones can take full advantage.
EE kicks off 400 Mbps 4G trials at Wembley Stadium
EE was the first 4G network operator in the UK, and it's now hell-bent on staying the fastest. After launching its LTE-A network (aka 4G+) in central London last October, it's trialling new spectrum configurations that could boost speeds even further. If you haven't been keeping up with all the network developments, here's a quick primer: standard 4G can offer theoretical download speeds of up to 150 Mbps, while LTE-A doubles that hypothetical maximum to 300 Mbps. To achieve this, EE added an extra 20MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum on top of its existing 1800MHz band, and now the carrier's testing a three-band approach that leverages another 15MHz, boosting top download speeds to 400 Mbps.
ASUS' new LTE phablet gives plenty of bang for the buck
It's been exactly one year since ASUS launched its ZenFone line of relatively affordable Android phones, and having shipped 8 million units so far, the Taiwanese company is keen to keep the momentum going. The new ZenFone 2 announced today isn't just better-looking, but it's also packed with great specs: 64-bit quad-core Intel processor, 5.5-inch (1080p) IPS display, Gorilla Glass 3, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, fast-charge technology, up to 4GB of RAM, microSD slot, Android 5.0 (with ASUS' pretty ZenUI) and more. Better yet, this dual-SIM LTE phone starts from just $199 unsubsidized when it hits the US in Q2. This is surprisingly aggressive -- even more so than the flagship devices from Xiaomi and OnePlus.
Samsung's Galaxy Tab S now packs speedy LTE-Advanced data
Samsung isn't saving extra-quick mobile data for its smartphones. The company has unveiled a version of the Galaxy Tab S 10.5 with 225Mbps LTE-Advanced inside, giving the tablet a very fast connection while away from WiFi. It's enough to grab 421 songs in a single minute, if you believe the official estimates. It's otherwise the same Android slate you've seen before, although that's not a bad thing given the slim profile and super-vivid display. The catch? You'll likely have to move to get one. Samsung has only announced the upgraded Tab S for South Korea, where it will cost 799,700 won ($743). Given that other countries haven't hopped on the LTE-A bandwagon yet, you could be waiting a while before this device (or more likely, one of its sequels) comes your way.
EE flips the switch on its faster 4G network in London
EE's been conducting closed trials of LTE-Advanced technology since last year, so imagine the red faces when Vodafone reported earlier this month that its own faster 4G network was about to go live in three cities. EE's now being forced to play catch-up, but it's well on its way today after flipping its LTE-A network live in parts of central London, including Kensington, Old Street, Shoreditch, Soho, Southbank and Westminster. This 4G+ network, as EE brands it, should cover the whole of Greater London by the middle of next year, before rolling out to other big cities like Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester later. While standard LTE can deliver a theoretical maximum download speed of 150 Mbps, LTE-A doubles that to a maximum speed of 300 Mbps (though real-world speeds tend to be around half the max).
Vodafone launches faster 4G and expands LTE roaming to 23 countries
Are you a Vodafone 4G customer? Good news, your downloads could soon get that much quicker. As part of a billion pound investment into its network, the carrier has begun rolling out the UK's first widely accessible LTE Advanced network. LTE-A, as it's known, will go live in Birmingham, Manchester or London in the coming weeks, promising to boost signal and improve 4G speeds thanks to increased network capacity. LTE-A is actually capable of blistering maximum download speeds of 300Mbps, but that requires a Cat 6 LTE smartphone, which aren't sold in the UK currently (though you can import a compatible device from somewhere like Korea if you're so inclined). Faster 4G will come to more cities by the end of the year, allowing Vodafone to increase its lead over EE, which is currently conducting closed testing of its own LTE-A service.
Galaxy S5 LTE-A is Samsung's first phone with a QHD display and Snapdragon 805 chip
Samsung has just announced a special variant of the Galaxy S5 for its home market. The phone -- simply dubbed Galaxy S5 LTE-A -- plays host to the manufacturer's first 2,560 x 1,440 display, which produces an even higher pixel density than the LG G3 (577 vs. 538 ppi) due to the use of a slightly smaller 5.1-inch panel. We're also seeing the first appearance of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 805 chipset (rather than an in-house Exynos processor), which is accompanied by 3GB of RAM and is built to handle 4K video playback and faster graphics in general. This chip supports LTE-Advanced too, which will apparently deliver data speeds of up to 225Mb/s to stunned, jaw-dropped customers on South Korean networks. Meanwhile, there's no word on whether this variant is headed to the West, or whether it's the fabled Galaxy S5 Prime that has been rumored for so long. But even if this is a Korea-only product, it can still be seen as a test-run for the global release of the impending Galaxy Note 4, which will almost certainly pack many of the same specs and components.
South Korea may get a Galaxy S 4 Active with LTE-A, processor and camera upgrades
South Korea's SK-Telecom already has a variant of the GS4 to surf its LTE-Advanced waves, and now it appears Samsung will release a version of the Galaxy S4 Active that plays nice with the carrier's next-gen network. A flyer posted on a Korean-language website revealed the handset and detailed its specs, listing a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, a healthy horsepower boost from the original's 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600. What's more, the smartphone now sports a 13MP camera -- which matches that of the vanilla Galaxy S4 -- and its storage has doubled to 32GB. Besides shaving off a few grams in weight and nabbing a white color option, the device retains the rest of its predecessor's features, all the way down to its 5-inch 1080p display and 2,600mAh battery. It's not clear if a revamped GS4 Active will make its way to other territories sans LTE-A, but adventurous (and clumsy) souls can keep their hopes up for a more powerful incarnation of the ruggedized phone.
EE to split two-year contracts into speed-based tiers, adds new data-only plans, and more
EE's temporary summer promotion, which increased data caps on two-year contracts for new sign-ups, was due to end before October. It didn't, however, and today's news suggests why. Starting October 30th, EE is splitting its 24-month 4G contract-plus-handset plans (what we imagine is the most common route new customers choose) into two tiers based on max potential download speeds. Furthermore, new data-only plans are being introduced for power users, as well as gigabyte-based incentives to tempt you into letting EE deal with your home broadband and mobile. Head past the break for more intel.
Pantech Vega LTE-A flaunts fingerprint recognition, 5.6-inch 1080p display
Few phones can take advantage of South Korea's freshly-launched LTE-Advanced networks, but Pantech's just given speed demons a new option: the Vega LTE-A. Though full details haven't trickled out from overseas just yet, the available specs paint an impressive picture. A 5.6-inch full HD display graces the front of the handset while a quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor helps the device run Android 4.2.2. What's more, it's toting an area for fingerprint recognition on its back. Come mid-August, folks in the hardware maker's homeland will be able to pick up the handset for use on SK Telecom's network. If the LTE-A variant of the Galaxy S 4 doesn't strike your fancy, Pantech's newest piece of kit might just be worth a look.
LG U+ launches LTE-Advanced network, sets sights on SK Telecom
Not long after South Korea's SK Telecom launched the world's first LTE-Advanced network, its homegrown rival, LG U+, will be rolling out LTE-Advanced to its customers as well, according to Yonhap News. There's no word on what phones the new network will support, though we won't be surprised if LG's own Optimus G successor will be one of them. Now pardon us as we figure out a way to move to South Korea, as that's the only place to get a taste of the zippy speeds right now.
Apple 'in negotiations' to launch new iPhone with LTE-Advanced in South Korea
This will come too late to be a world first, if it happens at all, but an unnamed insider at SK Telecom claims his company is in talks with Apple to bring out a South Korean version of the "upcoming iPhone 5S" with support for LTE-Advanced. The official, who was quoted by The Korea Times, makes it clear that SK Telecom made the first approach, but says the two parties are now "in the middle of negotiations", implying Apple was receptive to the idea. An LTE-A iPhone could theoretically double the download speed of a regular LTE iPhone 5 in ideal conditions, thanks in large part to carrier aggregation technology that enables downloads over multiple radio channels at the same time. The Korea Times also mentions that Apple might use Qualcomm to deliver LTE-A, but that would likely mean a Qualcomm modem specifically, rather than the Snapdragon 800 used in the South Korean Galaxy S 4, since these days Apple prefers its processors to be homegrown.
SK Telecom launches the world's first LTE-Advanced network, and the Galaxy S4 LTE-A
Just days after an LTE-Advanced variant of Samsung's Galaxy S 4 leaked, Korean carrier SK Telecom has officially announced it's launching the world's first publicly available LTE-Advanced wireless network. The Galaxy S4 LTE-A is also official (in red or blue) as the first device able to take advantage of the new technology for even faster data transmission speeds. According to the press release, SK Telecom plans to have as many as seven LTE-A devices available by the end of the year, all capable of up to 150Mbps. While SK Telecom is using Carrier Aggregation and Coordinated Multi Point technology to improve speeds right now, it will add Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination in 2014 to go even faster. After that, it suggest carrier aggregation will improve to support higher speeds and faster uploads in subsequent years. To take advantage of the higher speeds, SK Telecom's Btv IPTV service will begin offering 1080p video streaming in early July. That will be accompanied by enhanced multiview baseball broadcasts, more free videos, an HD video shopping service with six channels on one screen in August and the addition of FLAC audio files via its music package. Right now, the company has Seoul covered in LTE-A, and plans to eventually offer it in 84 cities, all at the same price as existing LTE service. Check after the break for the press release with all the details, plus video of a speed test. Update: We've just come across another juicy tidbit that makes the Galaxy S4 LTE-A all the more worthwhile -- it'll ship with a Snapdragon 800 SoC that contains a 2.3GHz quad-core CPU, plus 32GB of built-in storage and a 2,600mAh battery. It goes without saying that this phone will be speedy on all angles. As spotted by SlashGear, the new GS4 variant will also see the debut of a new Samsung software feature: ImageON. Explained as a Google Googles-esque app, it'll automatically analyse photos and offer up related videos and "extend access to relevant content on the internet."
T-Mobile to conduct LTE-Advanced trials this summer in preparation for 2013 deployment
Eager to get its LTE ducks in a row, T-Mobile announced today that it plans to begin trials of the next-gen network this summer. But here's the kicker: despite being tardy to the high-speed party, it plans on deploying true 4G in 2013, throttling ahead to the latest and greatest version known as 3GPP Release 10 -- also known as LTE-Advanced. Hitting this mark is crucial for T-Mobile, primarily because Sprint and AT&T have already announced their intentions to jump to the same speeds next year. T-Mobile also discussed its mysterious deployment of 1900MHz 3G service in San Francisco this week. According to Dave Mayo, SVP of technology, this is part of the carrier's 4G network evolution plan: to improve voice and data coverage and make its 4G network (we presume he's talking HSPA+ here) compatible with "a broader range of devices (including the iPhone)." He says what occurred at Moscone West this week is just the beginning -- in his words, "more of these speed sightings will occur as we work toward introducing 4G HSPA+ service in our 1900MHz spectrum in a large number of markets later this year." Overall, we'd say some great things are starting to happen in magentaland as it gets ready to hit the turbo boost button and shed the "faux-G" tag next year.
