Nokia Siemens Networks has announced plans to start deployment of  Telefónica  O2’s pilot LTE network in Halle (East Germany) in September 2010 . Network will be built in 2.6 GHz and Digital Dividend (800 MHz) spectrum and will reuse existing base station sites for network upgrade

The network is expected to go into operation by the end of 2010. NSN will supply complete LTE overlay network comprising of Flexi Multiradio Base Stations and the Enhanced Packet Core (EPC) nodes Flexi NG and Flexi NS. 

“We are at the forefront of LTE development and have recently concluded a trial on the Digital Dividend spectrum. We have already started commercial production of related network products,” said Thomas Riedel, head of Nokia Siemens Networks’ Telefónica business in Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Telefonica O2 had secured two 10 megahertz blocks in the 800 MHz band in Germany's mobile spectrum auction which ended in May. Telefonica paid EUR1.4 billion for 11 blocks in the auction including four blocks around 2.6 GHz.

Telefonica O2 Germany plans to launch two urban LTE networks in Munich and Halle by the end of 2010.