Telecommunications operator Orange Slovensko plans tests of the LTE (Long Term Evolution) technology and the Telecommunications Office (TÚ) in Banská Bystrica has issued a six-month permit for the operator that is effective for the beginning of next year for the locality of Banská Bystrica, the SITA newswire wrote.
Orange spokesman Peter Tóth told SITA that in this regard Slovakia is interesting for France Telecom, as tests will be carried out for the whole group. Though LTE is on the Orange technological roadmap it is still a technology more or less existing in laboratory conditions. It is definitely not the end of 3G networks in Slovakia as Orange has only recently doubled the speed of its 3G network to 14.4 Mbit/s. According to Tóth, they decided for Banská Bystrica because of its geographical location in the centre of Slovakia, which assures that networks with neighbouring countries will not be jammed.
Mobile operator Telefonica O2 Slovakia plans to test the LTE technology in Slovakia as well. Testing should take place this year in the locality of Banská Bystrica based on a license from the Telecommunications Office and the operator is considering other localities as well. “Telefonica O2 Slovakia has joined companies in the Telefonica group that will take part in testing 4G networks,” said Director General of Telefonica O2 Slovakia John McGuigan.
T-Mobile Slovensko also plans to ask the Telecommunications Office for permission to test the LTE technology. Spokesman for the company Andrej Gargulák specified that currently they use results of extensive tests of this technology executed by the Deutsche Telekom group.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
