Mobile network operator EE has showcased a 400Mbps 4G solution at Wembley Stadium, in collaboration with technology partners Huawei and Qualcomm.
The demonstration saw a Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CAT 9 processor combining three different EE spectrum bands to achieve 400Mbps on a single device.
The 400Mbps speeds were achieved by combining three 20MHz of 1800MHz spectrum, 20MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum and a further 15GHz of 2.6GHz spectrum on the EE network, in a practice known as carrier aggregation.
“We are thrilled to see the innovative technology of LTE-Advanced coming to reality in a place like Wembley Stadium where a speed-hungry application like 4K video streaming is much needed by many simultaneous users,” said Mohamed Madkour, vice-president of marketing, Huawei Wireless Network Product Line.
“To meet end user expectations, a much higher capacity and a more reliable connection to mobile devices is required.”
Wembley Stadium's 4G+ network
Qualcomm senior vice-president and president of European operations, Enrico Salvatori, said: “Category 9 LTE-A delivers increased capacity across networks and incredibly fast download speeds, providing consumers with dramatically improved mobile connectivity and the richer experiences they are increasingly seeking, such as 4K.”
The trial came ahead of the launch of EE’s 4G+ network at Wembley Stadium. The service will be switched on next month with the objective of boosting mobile data capacity around the venue for concerts and sporting events.
While EE's 4G+ uses carrier aggregation technology to combine 20Mhz of spectrum in the 1,800MHz and 2.6GHz bands, it can currently only manage peak speeds of 150Mbps.
Stadium selfies
Nevertheless, said EE, when the service goes live at Wembley, people using its network in the stadium will get double the amount of mobile data capacity as well as superfast browsing speeds.
It said the technology would make it easy to stream goal replays, check sports apps, upload pictures and videos and use social media during events.
Ahead of the launch, EE and its partners have created a bespoke audio-visual installation at Wembley, including a number of 4K and HD screens and high-quality audio streaming to create an interactive concert experience for users.
“Smarter devices with more data-intensive video and audio demands are launching all the time, and it’s trials like these at Wembley Stadium that allow us to ensure EE customers get the very best experiences from their mobile network, now and in the future,” said EE CTO Fotis Karonis.
Plans for 4G+ network across the UK
“This is a showcase of what a truly amazing 4G network can do, and it is a big step in our ambition to make Wembley Stadium the most connected stadium in the world.”
EE said the demonstration highlighted why speed and capacity were so important in enhancing the mobile experience for consumers and businesses.
EE’s 4G+ network has been live in London since October 2014. The Wembley Stadium project forms part of its £1.5bn plan to enhance its network around the UK by 2018.
EE claimed it would have 4G+ enabled for 90% of the UK population by 2017.