14 DAY TRIAL // Finnish mobile network operator DNA announced recently that it planned to enhance the performance levels of its 3G network so as to be able to offer users a maximum speed of 21 Mbps. According to the company, it will be conducting technical testing over the summer, to prepare for the commercial launch, which should take place in the autumn of 2009.
In addition, the company says, the update, which is also known as HSPA+, is already being tested in the mobile network that its customers benefit from. Moreover, it seems that the upgrade is expected to provide upload (uplink) speeds of up to 5.8 Mbps. “For the time being, we have only seen the beginnings of 3G/HSPA technology. The new 21 Mbps data transfer speed is a natural development of 3G/HSPA, while next year we will see speeds up to 42 Mbps,” said DNA's technical director, Tommy Olenius.
All base stations in DNA's mobile network have been supplied by Ericsson, and the company says that they can all offer support for the HSPA+ technology. According to the mobile phone carrier, the deployment of the new speeds would only require some software updates. In addition, DNA also says that, given the fact that HSPA+ compatible terminals are already available on the market, it is prepared to make speed increases on its commercial network while also launching compatible products starting with the autumn of 2009.
With the commercial release of HSPA+, DNA will become the first Finnish carrier to have this kind of achievement under its belt. Even so, it seems that the company is determined to push things even further, so as to be able to enhance the user experience of its customers by making more investments in the network transfer speeds and in its capacity.
“Increasing the geographical coverage of 3G network is a vital part of these efforts. As we are currently busy boosting our 3G coverage through UMTS 900 as well, we have in fact doubled our geographical coverage over the last six months. Our ultimate goal, a national 3G/HSPA network coverage, will be achieved between 2012 and 2013,” Olenius added.