Italian operators focus on launching LTE services – study

Following the spectrum auction in September 2011, operators in Italy are focusing on launching LTE services driving 3G plus subscriptions to 75 percent of all Sims in 2017, according to a new report from Pyramid Research. Both H3G and Vodafone claim they will make LTE services commercially available by the end of this year. Vodafone even identified Ivrea to be the first town with LTE technology via the experimental frequency of 1.8 GHz. A number of trials are currently underway in Italy to analyze the use of 800 MHz for LTE services to see if there is any interference with TV services.