Vodafone UK Starts HSDPA Upgrade to Support 14.4Mbps Download Speeds

Published on: 1st Jan 1970: 1:33am

Vodafone UK has started upgrading its HSDPA network to support a peak rate of 14.4Mbps in select areas of high demand, making it the first UK operator to support that download speed. The company estimates that around 80% of the Vodafone branded 3G modems and handsets currently sold by its outlets will support the higher download speeds.

In a statement, the company said that "sites with the greatest demand will be upgraded first with the 14.4Mbps capability. Busy areas of London, Birmingham and Liverpool have already received upgraded sites and the roll out will continue across the UK on an ongoing basis."

The average download speeds in the upgraded area are expected to vary between 1Mbps and 5 Mbps. The absolute peak would never exceed 10.8Mbps, and that would probably require the user to be sitting right next to the base station and using it in the middle of the night.

Vodafone's last HSDPA upgrade, to 7.2Mbs was carried out late in 2007.

"Today's network upgrade means customers can be reassured we're consistently enhancing the quality of our network in response to demand," Vodafone UK's chief technology officer, Jeni Mundy, said

 

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