Telefónica begins the deployment of LTE Advanced in Spain

LTE-A enables download speeds of up to 300 Mbps, double what LTE offers, thus facilitating access to audiovisual content on the go.

Telefónica is already the first operator in Spain to take the step towards 4.5G or LTE-Advanced. Before 5G arrives, which will enable mobility data transmission speeds above 1Gbps, Movistar is launching LTE-A, which enables downstream information transfers of up to 300 Mbps, double the 150 that LTE offers.

Madrid and Barcelona are the first cities to benefit from these new LTE speed rates, and from today, Movistar customers in these cities who have the appropriate terminal will be able to enjoy higher speeds in downloading and uploading information.

4G or LTE technology is evolving rapidly and in its second wave of improved functionality, LTE Advanced, provides very innovative features such as the simultaneous aggregation of spectrum from different bands to the same terminal. This makes it possible to offer even higher download transfer speeds, which can reach, in the case of Telefónica, which has spectrum at 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz, up to 300 Mbps.

Where LTE-A exists, the service improves not only for customers who have ad-hoc terminals, but also for all other Movistar customers, since by quickly serving the required throughput to devices ready to support LTE-A, capacity is freed up for the rest of the terminals simultaneously, with an increase in available broadband. Therefore, all Movistar customers, to a greater or lesser extent depending on their terminal, will enjoy this cutting-edge technological advance.

This new technology will spread between now and the end of the year to the main Spanish capitals, and will be widely developed in 2015, with the availability of the 800 MHz band.