Russian mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) announced that it has built more than 2,000 LTE base stations in 2012. Operator's 4G LTE network now covers about 90% of the capital and more than fifty settlements near Moscow.
KazakhTelecom has launched LTE network in Astana and Almaty in Kazakhstan. 4G LTE services are being offered by ALTEL, KazakhTelecom JSC affiliated company and national operator.
Internet service provider Menatelecom has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Huawei to deploy its LTE network in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Earlier this month company has approved the investment into the LTE wireless network to be deployed in the country.
Dutch Radiocommunications Agency has awarded mobile spectrum rights to four operators in the Dutch auction which completed on December 14, 2012. They are Vodafone, KPN, T-Mobile and Tele2. The total revenue generated by the auction is € 3.804 billion.
Mobile service provider Zain has launched nationwide commercial LTE 1800 MHz network in Kuwait in partnership with Huawei. On November 21, Zain launched LTE services under the banner of "Wiyana Connect LTE", a newly-built LTE network that realizes Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) as a LTE voice solution.
AT&T has launched its LTE service in Boulder, Colo.; Hartford and New Haven, Conn.; Boise, Idaho; Bowling Green and Lexington, Ky.; Harrisburg and Lancaster, Pa.; Providence, R.I.; and Ogden-Clearfield, Utah. With this expansion, AT&T 4G LTE is now live in 135 markets.
Tele2 has tested voice over LTE (VoLTE) in the live Swedish Tele2 LTE network. During the tests, Operator found much better voice experience in the IP based LTE network compared to 2G and 3G networks.
O2 (Telefónica UK) has selected Nokia Siemens Networks to prepare its LTE network across London and the South East of England. The UK operator is anticipating a rapid launch of 4G following Ofcom’s spectrum auctions scheduled for early 2013.
U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless has opened LTE network in 29 new markets, including Selma, Ala., Clarksburg, W. Va., and Port Angeles, Wash., bringing the total of U.S. markets covered to 470.
Uk regulator Ofcom has announced the bidders in the forthcoming 4G mobile spectrum auction. Bidders will be competing to acquire spectrum in two separate bands – 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz to roll out 4G LTE mobile broadband services across the UK. Ofcom accepted applications to take part in the 4G auction on December 11 earlier this month.