The trial used Ericsson’s network software on the 2600MHz and APT700MHz spectrum bands of Entel’s commercial network. Entel is said to be the first Latin American operator to test speeds of 250Mbps on a commercial network.
“Our challenge in the telecommunications industry is to continually innovate and advance toward more and better connectivity, so that the technology serves the needs of society,” said Antonio Büchi, Entel CEO.
“This is why we wanted to be once again at the forefront and be the first in the technology field to show that in the future we will provide our users with the most advanced mobile network in Chile and Latin America, and we expect to have a significant impact on the country's development.”
LTE-A carrier aggregation is the next step for high-speed mobile broadband services, enabling operators to combine multiple spectrum bands for higher download speeds.
Entel and Ericsson share a long-standing partnership and in December last year the pair completed the successful test of spectrum in the APT700 band.
“Mobile broadband is opening up a world of opportunities by facilitating industry transformation. Using LTE-A technology, operators can increase their network capacity and enhance the mobile broadband user experience,” said Nicolas Brancoli, VP of Ericsson Latin America.
“This demo places Entel on the very limited list of operators in the world to demonstrate LTE-A in a live network using a commercial terminal. We are very proud to have partnered with Entel in this achievement, further extending our long-standing relationship.”
