Spain’s mobile operators will be able to offer LTE on the 800 MHz digital dividend band from 20 July, the outfit tasked with ensuring a smooth digital switchover announced this week.
Orange, Telefonica, and Vodafone all secured 800-MHz spectrum in July 2011 at an auction that raised €1.6 billion. The 800 MHz band, which is well suited to providing coverage indoors and over l ong distances, accounted for €1.3 billion of that sum.
However, several delays to establishing new channels for carrying digital terrestrial TV (DTT) content meant that the spectrum was not released until April this year.
The contract for ensuring that low-band 4G services do not interfere with digital TV signals was awarded to Spanish energy giant Elecnor, which is managing the transition via its subsidiary, llega800.
Llega800 will identify potential areas of interference and contact people residing therein to offer them a free filter designed to resolve any disruption.
"Telefonica, Vodafone and Orange will begin offering from July 20 4G services on networks in the 800 MHz band," said a statement in Spanish on Wednesday from llega800. This will enable users to enjoy "better coverage inside buildings and more geographically widespread service availability."
The work is similar to that carried out in the U.K. during the digital switchover by at800.
