LTE1800 a fifth the cost of 2.6GHz: Deutsche Telekom

David Haszledine, Network Economics Manager at DT, told Avren Events' HetNet conference that rolling out an LTE network in 1800 MHz spectrum could be a quarter or a fifth as cheap as achieving the same network in 2.6 GHz spectrum.

In Austria, where T-Mobile has an obligation to provide 25% population coverage via LTE at 2.6GHz, the budget submission from the network team was "painful", Haszeldine said. In-building coverage in areas of thick-walled buildings was proving particularly problematic, he said.

Asked by Mobile Europe what the submission might have looked like if T-Mobile Austria had, like its EE cousin in the UK, 1800 MHz spectrum to work in, Haszeldine said, "I have to be careful because I have seen cost comparisons of 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2.6 GHz LTE that are so secret there are no electronic copies. But I will say that 1800 is cheaper by factors, perhaps by a quarter or a fifth."

"I think that 1800 will become the de facto LTE standard, not just because of the iPhone 5 but because of the business benefits if offers operators," he said. Of course, network economics also put a premium on the digital dividend 800 MHz spectrum that Ofcom is auctioning, and may drive the price of that spectrum up accordingly.

//mobileeurope.co.uk

TD (Germany) subscribers got DL up to 100 Mbit/s

The new ‘LTE (Long Term Evolution) Speed’ option will be available with all of TD’s ‘Complete Mobile’ rates from 4 September for an additional EUR9.95 (USD12.5) per month. The new option is being launched alongside a number of new LTE-capable smartphones, such as the HTC One XL and Samsung Galaxy SIII LTE. \\telegeography.com

Telekom Deutschland (TD)

Domestic fixed and mobile division of German telecoms company Deutsche Telekom

Networks
LTE 800 in about 1000 rural areas from 2010, covered about 10 million citizens by Aug.2012
LTE 1800 from July 2011 (Cologne, Frankfurt, Bonn, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, Berlin, Mainz, Bremen, Hanau, Heidelberg, Bochum and Stuttgart) by 2012.08 with the plan to cover more then 100 cities until 2012 end.

UE
Smartphones
HTC One XL, Sep. 2012
Samsung Galaxy S3 LTE, Sep. 2012

Tariffs
"LTE Speed" option available with all TD's "Complete Mobile" rates from Sep.4 for an additional Eur9.94 (US$12.5) per month. DL is up to 100 Mbit/s.