First LTE network launches, but not here

With all of the talk about the Nexus One recently, surely we’re not all tired of cell phones news. Amidst all the flurry of news regarding Google’s probable upcoming smartphone, there is potentially more exciting mobile news. The first LTE network has finally launched!

The only problem with the world’s first LTE network is that it exists only in Stockholm, Sweden and Oslo, Norway. The network comes from TeliaSonera, who now has the title of first LTE network. The title comes largely because Verizon has only been testing its LTE network as of yet, though it plans on launching the service sometime next year in several markets. The network right now is meant mainly for laptops with Samsung modems capable of using the frequency. The network is said to have speeds between 20 MBps and 80 Mbps with the modems.

TeliaSonera’s LTE network, though small, should provide an interesting test of the network that’s available to anyone. Right now it reaches less than half a million people, but Verizon and other providers must be looking at the network to see how well it holds up. Even if the network that US carriers launch gets an average of half the minimum of TeliaSonera’s, that’s still 10 Mbps which is the same or better than what many people have in their home broadband connections. Now all we need is some phones that can use LTE to be released, or even announced. Perhaps we’ll begin to see them at next month’s CES.

Read [InformationWeek]