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Vodafone trials faster broadband services
Monday 19th January 2009, by Daniel King
Vodafone could be set to introduce a new faster service for its mobile broadband users.
The firm has announced the successful trial of a connection that allowed customers to benefit from download speeds of as much as 16Mbps.
It is aiming to build on this with the trial of a new mobile broadband service offering peak rates of 21Mbps early in 2009.
Currently, customers benefit from internet speeds of around 7.2Mbps, which Vodafone claims is comparable with many fixed-line connections.
However, the firm expects the latest breakthrough to significantly boost speeds, with experts predicting a typical video download experience of "more than 13Mbps in good conditions".
The new rates were achieved on Vodafone Spain's network during trials of high-speed packet access (HSPA+) 64QAM technology and the firm's global networks director Andy MacLeod said the results could offer a major breakthrough.
"Successfully demonstrating a live HSPA+ high-speed connection has been a key milestone in continuing to build confidence in this new technology," he commented.
"The results show that HSPA+ technology is well placed to further enhance our customers' mobile broadband experience through the evolution of our existing 3G networks."
Vodafone's success comes after a study by Infonetics Research predicted that mobile broadband would become more popular than fixed-line connections in the near future.
It suggested that many users now expect an "internet everywhere" experience, claiming that the rapid growth in services based on HSPA, EV-DO and WiMAX technology would play a major part in the increased uptake of mobile broadband.
