World's first 4G wireless network launched

Bangalore: The world's first fourth-generation wireless service was launched yesterday by Sweden's TeliaSonera, as equipment vendors vie for a high-stakes contract for building the next stage of the network, reports Financial Times.

The service will be initially limited to central parts of Stockholm and Oslo, and will offer mobile broadband at up to 10 times the speed of third-generation technology. It will also set the way for other operators, such as Verizon and NTT DoCoMo, which are preparing to unveil 4G networks.

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According to the Financial Times, this launch will be the testing ground for a battle between equipment vendors to build the next generation of mobile networks. TeliaSonera is planning to choose either Ericsson or Huawei to expand its fledgling 4G service across Sweden and Norway.

The firm split its initial 4G contract between the rival vendors - with Ericsson building the Stockholm network and Huawei taking responsibility for Oslo - making them frontrunners for a bigger contract expected to be awarded in January for the next stage of the rollout.

Huawei this year overtook Alcatel-Lucent, the Franco-American group, to become the world's third-largest network equipment maker after Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks. The Chinese company recently won a contract to upgrade the domestic mobile network of Telenor.

Kenneth Karlberg, the Head of mobile services at TeliaSonera, told the Financial Times that the decision would be based solely on grounds of price and quality. "We already use Huawei in Finland, so nationality is not an issue," he said.

As 4G mobile phones have not yet been launched, TeliaSonera's 4G service will initially be accessible only through PCs. The service is based on the Long Term Evolution technology that may become the 4G standard.