SWIFT improvements in mobile technologies do not permit any of the companies operating in Slovakia to rest on their laurels for very long. After the newest mobile operator here, Telefónica O2 Slovakia, announced in early March that it will test LTE or Long Term Evolution technology in Slovakia this summer, the country’s two other mobile operators quickly announced that they too were ready with plans to test LTE.
LTE, regarded as a key component of fourth-generation (4G) mobile technology, is expected to bring higher transmission speeds and capacities, cheaper calls, and better internet connections through mobile networks.
“LTE technology changes mobile communications in a revolutionary way and opens nonpareil space for new services for customers,” Martin Škop, the executive director for networks for Telefónica O2 Czech Republic and Telefónica O2 Slovakia stated in an information bulletin provided to The Slovak Spectator. “Telefónica Group has been engaged long-term in implementation of LTE.”
Telefónica O2 Slovakia will test the new technology this summer in an area around Banská Bystrica and has already received permission to do so from Slovakia’s telecommunications regulator, the Telecommunications Office (TÚ). The permission is valid between May 1 and July 31, 2010, the TÚ writes on its website. O2 is also considering other localities for the tests.
The TÚ also wrote that the biggest mobile operator, Orange Slovensko, has requested permission to test LTE.
“We can confirm that Orange Slovensko will test LTE technology in Banská Bystrica this year,” Richard Fides, the spokesperson of Orange Slovensko, told The Slovak Spectator.
T-Mobile is currently planning to ask the TÚ for permission to test LTE in Slovakia and to link that information with knowledge gained during extensive tests of the technology within Deutsche Telekom group, Andrej Gargulák, spokesperson of Slovak Telekom and T-Mobile Slovensko, told The Slovak Spectator. He said Deutsche Telekom has more than 18 months of experience from several countries.
“LTE technology has huge potential,” said Gargulák, adding that services have been gradually becoming more data-demanding and the needs of customers have been increasing too. “Usage of LTE technology will secure enough capacity for data-demanding applications, for example streaming of high-definition video or transfers at speeds of several dozen megabits of data per second.”
