MONTREAL – Bell Mobility launched its 4G LTE wireless network service Wednesday in Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph.
LTE (short for the 4th Generation ‘Long Term Evolution’ mobile standard) offers data speeds as fast as 75 megabits per second (Mbps) and typical speeds ranging between 12 and 25 Mbps. As the standard and products evolve, Bell said that speeds are expected to increase to as fast as 150 Mbps.
Available for both business users and consumers, 4G LTE from Bell offers HD quality on-line TV and video; wireless video conferencing and chat with quality previously available only on wireline or high-speed Wi-Fi connections; faster mobile download times for apps, large attachments, presentations and apps (with VPN compatibility for secure file access); and mobile gaming with stand-out graphics and video quality.
LTE/HSPA+ Turbo Sticks are on sale now for $79.95 on a three-year term or $219.95 with no term contract, while LTE/HSPA+-capable smart phones and tablets will be available later this year.
Bell said that it will roll out 4G LTE coverage to “additional Canadian markets” this year and through 2012, focusing on an urban rollout first. The timing of broader rural and remote coverage deployments are contingent on the outcome of Industry Canada’s 700 MHz spectrum auction.
"LTE is the next step in ensuring Bell continues to deliver the best networks in the world to Canadian consumers and businesses, backed up by the newest data devices and the leading mobile services and content available”, said Bell Mobility president Wade Oosterman, in the announcement. “LTE will deliver amazing data access speeds – at least three times faster than the Bell HSPA+ network originally launched less than three years ago."
