Hong Kong mobile operator CSL in partnership with ZTE has launched the comercial LTE/DC-HSPA+ network, ZTE said on Thursday.

The mobile operator launches the LTE/DC-HSPA+ network with corporate services and plans to offer its consumer services commercially in Q1 2011, when devices start entering in the market. The Telstra-owned operator launched network covering 50% of the city's seven million population.

But a lack of dongles means it is only available for some corporate customers, CMO Mark Liversidge told Telecoms Europe.net. It has only a small number of dongles from ZTE and Samsung, and won't offer service to consumers until 1Q11, he said.

Earlier this month, ZTE had demonstrated successful IMS based Voice over LTE (VoLTE) calls on CSL's LTE network and its existing mobile networks at Mobile Asia Congress 2010 (MAC 2010).

In July this year, ZTE and CSL began deployment of the 1800 MHz/2600 MHz dual-band LTE network as well as the upgrade of CSL's existing 3G network with Dual Cell technology.