Mapping it out: Operator commitments to LTE
Operators everywhere are talking up LTE as the future, but few have put a stake in the ground with specific timeframes. Even fewer have selected LTE vendors for their endeavors. Lack of spectrum, a shaky economy and the belief that existing networks still have some mileage are contributing to the not-so-solid commitments. Nonetheless, there are plenty of network trials to go around.
As such, we've compiled this list of operators' LTE plans based on those companies that have made specific intentions around LTE. While South Korean operators KT Freetel and SK Telecom haven't made public specific dates regarding their commercial launch plans, they have indicated their intentions to invest in LTE by 2010. Zain in Bahrain hasn't announced a commercial launch date yet either, but has tapped Nokia Siemens Networks as its LTE vendor.
Check below for a map detailing operator commitments to LTE. Listed, in descending order, are the operator, market launch plans, launch date, and selected vendors, if applicable. --Lynnette
View Mapping it out: Operator commitments to LTE in a larger map
Click here to see the full list and map. Or check out the chart, below:
| Operator | Markets | Launch date | Vendor |
| AT&T | Unnamed US markets | 2011 | |
| CenturyTel | select US rural markets | 2010 | |
| China Mobile | China | 2011 | |
| eMobile | Japan | 2010 | |
| MetroPCS | Major US markets | 2010 | Ericsson |
| MTS | Uzbekistan | 2010 | Huawei |
| KDDI | Japan | 2012 | Motorola, NEC |
| KT Freetel | South Korea | 2010* | |
| NTT DoCoMo | Japan | 2010 | Nokia Siemens Networks, Fujitsu, Panasonic |
| Rogers Wireless | Vancouver, B.C. | Q1 2010 | |
| SK Telecom | South Korea | 2010* | |
| TeliaSonera | Stockholm | 2010 | Ericsson |
| TeliaSonera | Oslo, Norway | 2010 | Huawei |
| Tele2/Telenor Sweden | Sweden | 2010 | |
| Verizon Wireless | 25-30 US markets | Q1 2010 | Ericsson, AlcaLu |
| Zain | Bahrain | 2010* | Nokia Siemens Networks |
Source: market research *estimate |
|||
