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Cornwall 4G trial hits ADSL speeds

By Barry Collins in Cornwall

Posted on 29 Nov 2011 at 13:31

The first consumer trial of 4G in the UK is offering average speeds near ADSL levels.

BT and Everything Everywhere – the company formed from the merger of T-Mobile and Orange – have been running a trial of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in Newquay.

Average speeds during the trial have hit 6Mbits/sec, according to Everything Everywhere CEO Olaf Swantee – not far off the national average ADSL speed of 6.8Mbits/sec.

It’s my belief the UK needs to start deploying 4G now

The trial, which uses two mobile sites to serve only 180 trialists, has recorded top download speeds of up to 30Mbits/sec during quiet periods, according to BT.

Trialists have used both specially adapted versions of the BT Home Hub and 4G dongles to access the LTE network. They haven’t been given access to 4G smartphones, with BT and Everything Everywhere focusing on mobile data for the purpose of this trial.

Live demonstrations of the 4G network in Cornwall showed HD video streams running alongside Google Maps sessions, and two other concurrent downloads. BT claims some households have connected up to 10 different devices to the Home Hubs.

“We’re not only demonstrating LTE for mobile, but for fixed purposes as well,” said Swantee. “It is my belief, and Everything Everywhere’s belief, that the UK needs 4G.”

“Scandanavia, the US, Germany – all of these regions are already deploying 4G. It’s my belief the UK needs to start deploying 4G now,” he added.

The BT/Everything Everywhere trial is being operated in the 800MHz spectrum, previously used to deliver analogue terrestrial television in the area. Ofcom granted the companies a six-month licence to test 4G in Newquay, now that Cornwall has completed its digital television switchover.

Spectrum delays

Despite their rallying call to deliver 4G networks immediately, mobile networks including Everything Everywhere have been accused of putting roadblocks in the way of the delayed 4G spectrum auction, which now won’t happen until late 2012 or early 2013.

However, the network denied it was standing in the way of progress. “We’re absolutely mad keen to get on with the auction,” said David Salam, director of network strategy at Everything Everywhere. “We’ve not put any blockers there.”

The 4G network will eventually be used to serve the parts of Cornwall that won’t be reached by BT’s fibre deployment. “We’re set to make Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly one of the best connected places in the world,” said BT Wholesale CEO, Nigel Stagg.

In the meantime, however, the residents of Newquay will be deprived of their LTE in January, when the six-month licence comes to an end.

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User comments

???

"Average speeds during the trial have hit an average of 6Mbits/sec"

Average of an average?

Hoe many average speeds are they using for the trial?

By firstsin on 29 Nov 2011

Nothing to get excited about...

The speeds the operators achieve in these trials have absolutely no relevance to the real world scenarios with thousands of users simultaneously accessing the same base station. I live only a couple of miles away from the HQ of one mobile provider and rarely get full 3G speeds even outdoors with the signal often dropping to dial up speeds!

By KurtCobain on 29 Nov 2011

Deeply worried

I'm deeply worried that most politicians are so technically unaware (aka Thick as two short planks) that they might think that 4G can solve the problems of broadband coverage. As per @KurtCobain, once a link is shared by 20-200 users they are in no danger of getting even 1Mbps each.

By milliganp on 29 Nov 2011

Why did we need the trial?

LTE is being deployed worldwide already, surely the technology is well understood by now? So why was this needed?

Not only that, but why do the providers need to wait for the auction before starting to build the infrastructure? It's not like Vodafone won't be getting a license so why not start development now and be ready for the switch on?

I'm sure i must be missing something?

By JStairmand on 29 Nov 2011

???

"They haven’t been given access to 4G smartphones, with BT and Everything Everywhere focusing on mobile data for the purpose of this trial."

Do Smartphones not use mobile data then?
Odd, I thought they did!
I wonder what my smartphone uses!

I'm glad tech savvy people are running this trial!

It's a shame Three UK have not been involved in this. Their network accounts for 40% of Mobile Data in the UK and they are chomping at the bit to get 4G up and running.

By wake1976 on 29 Nov 2011

Clarification

To clarify a few of the points raised:

1. BT/Everything Everywhere claim the number of trial participants per site/sector is broadly representative of a potential commercial rollout, so it's not necessarily the case that the pilot scheme is giving a false indication of potential speeds, although we would of course have to reserve judgement until commercial deployment begins.

2. BT/EE claims handsets weren't deployed because they wanted to test the network to its limits, and laptop/home users tend to use much more data than mobile users. There is also the issue of the limited availability of LTE-compatible handsets.

Barry Collins
Editor

By Barry_Collins on 30 Nov 2011

Early 2013? Pathetic.

By mikes87 on 1 Dec 2011

Cornwall before London

At last, Cornwall's getting some focus. With most villages getting

By Sercul on 1 Dec 2011

Cornwall again

Sorry, the last post didn't send properly, which proves my point:

rural areas need good connectivity - if ADSL can't do it, then perhaps 4G can?

It's about time trials were done outside of London - and perhaps even the rollout? Then at least in the summer, all those tourist jacknifed on our roads could twitter about it...

So, if 4G is using the same frequency band as the old analog TV, I wonder if I can improve my reception with that old set-top aerial... hmmm..

By Sercul on 1 Dec 2011

Broadband Speed Achieved

A recurring chestnut! I live in Torpoint Cornwall PL11 2DW, 600m from the exchange with a roadside junction about 50m away. BT engineer says the line can deliver up to 8MB. With Supanet I achieved 3MB. BT offered as one reason the quality of 3rd party kit at the exchange. So, I changed to BT. Guess what, same 3 - 3.2MB. I Player test shows Download at 2.43Mbps and streaming at 2.23Mbps. No one can/will say why. Home Hub is hard wired and all seems in order. BT now say fibre optic BB here by March 2012. But what can I realistically expect then? I think all Providers should be required to offer a test and an speed offer that the customer can sign up to and to which the Provider can be held to account.

By David6ww on 1 Dec 2011

@David6ww

Look carefully at BT's claim. They only say "up to 8Mb"

I'm also guessing you are paying for a contended service, say 50:1 or 20:1 sharing rather than 1:1

They can't provide a minimum delivery rate as its too easy to tinker with a line at the consumer end.

A crappy modem, poor customer side copper, bad filters the list is a long one and would generate too much customer service traffic.

Fibre to home would help you as would bonding together two DSL lines with a load balancer.

I wouldn't rely on 3g or 4g to solve anything as the contention, geography and wild weather usually manage to play havoc with it.

By Gindylow on 1 Dec 2011

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