Nokia Networks, TeliaSonera break speed record with three-band Carrier Aggregation technology

The FINANCIAL — Nokia Networks and TeliaSonera, one of the leading Nordic mobile providers, have conducted a live demonstration of LTE-Advanced three-band Carrier Aggregation (3x CA) using Category 9 (CAT 9) devices. The companies showcased record-breaking data rates of up to 375 Mbps on a commercial network, marking an industry-first in the Nordic region.

The end-to-end demo, performed on Sonera’s commercial network in Helsinki, aggregated three LTE FDD carriers of 20MHz, 20MHz and 10MHz bandwidth to efficiently deliver ultra-fast data speeds, strengthen network capacity and provide an enhanced customer experience, according to Nokia.

Sonera plans to continue rolling out the advanced service network-wide once compatible devices are available in sufficient volumes.

The demonstration was performed using Nokia Networks’:

Single RAN Advanced platform, including the Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station for high-capacity throughput
Software upgrade to aggregate two 20 MHz carriers in 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz bands with one additional 10 MHz carrier in 800 MHz band, which is a typical band and bandwidth combination for many mobile operators in Europe
Network testing, planning and implementation support and CAT 9 devices

Timo Hietalahti, Head of Architecture and Development at TeliaSonera Finland, said: “Our main priority is to offer our customers faster access to high quality video and more responsive data services. Through this groundbreaking trial of 3X CA our network has delivered high data throughtputs with superior reliability, meaning our customers will benefit from superfast multimedia applications and services once the technology is rolled out commercially.”

Margus Hunt, Head of TeliaSonera customer team at Nokia Networks, said: “This record-breaking demonstration reinforces TeliaSonera’s market and technology leadership. Once rolled out commercially, the new functionality will enable the fastest possible data speeds, providing TeliaSonera with new revenue streams and the opportunity to increase market share.”