Swedish-owned communications group Tele2 has announced that its Dutch subsidiary is to fully open its 4G LTE Advanced (LTE-A) network from tomorrow (12 November). Tele2 Netherlands first switched on the data-only network at the start of this year, initially on a limited basis for business customers, before beginning the process of transferring the data services of its existing MVNO user base over to the new system. Tomorrow marks the full national commercial launch of the LTE-A network, which utilises carrier aggregation in the 800MHz and 2600MHz bands to provide peak theoretical download speeds of 225Mbps.
Tele2 NL says its LTE-A network now offers outdoor coverage to 92% of the population, with plans to achieve a nationwide footprint by end-March 2016. Meanwhile, it also plans to begin providing voice services over its 4G infrastructure sometime in 2016 using voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) technology. The firm says a bundle offering unlimited voice and SMS plus 24GB of monthly data will be charged at EUR35 (USD39.80), while there will also be unlimited voice/SMS offered with its 8GB, 4GB and 1.5GB monthly options. An entry-level service will provide 1GB of data and 100 minutes/SMS.
Jeff Dodds, CEO of Tele2 Netherlands, commented: ‘It’s time for the Dutch consumers to release the handbrake when it comes to mobile data usage. Over the last three years price levels in the Netherlands have remained amongst the highest in Europe, and we’re here to shake up the market and start a data revolution, with the launch of our new superfast LTE-Advanced mobile network, offering great speed, great coverage and the lowest price.’
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Tele2 NL had 841,000 subscribers at the end of June 2015, up from 768,000 a year earlier, thanks to its ongoing MVNO wholesale agreement with T-Mobile Netherlands. Tele2 says it aims to reach a revenue market share of 20%.