Telekom Slovenije (Slovenia) announced plans to utilise its LTE network to provide a triple-play bundle of services to areas where physical infrastructure is not currently available.
The operator said it will begin offering LTE-based access for fixed-line telephony, Internet and TV services in June. The service will be available in areas currently lacking fixed lines that are covered by the operator's LTE network, and was for the most part designed entirely in-house.
Matjaz Bericic, director of Telekom Slovenije's convergent core network, said network convergence is a necessary step to enable technological advancement. "The objective of this type of development is to provide reliable, simple, and excellent user experience in accessing the desired services--anytime, anywhere--regardless of the technology and network, which can either be fixed or mobile."
Telekom Slovenije said its engineers developed the converged fixed-wireless platform and associated network architecture. The company's team also integrated the necessary systems and developed backend systems covering service and content management.
Subscribers opting for the new service will be provided with a compatible SIM-enabled modem, an IPTV set top box, and a set of outdoor antennas. Telekom Slovenije said users can expect data rates of up to 10 Mbps in the downlink and 2 Mbps up via its LTE network.
The operator said the new service is a "milestone in telecommunications development" in a statement announcing the move. The service is another step towards separating services from specific technologies, and will help the operator to transition to "so-called hybrid coverage" where subscribers receive the same service regardless of whether wired or wireless networks are used.
Slovenia's government is currently negotiating a sale of a 72.75 per cent stake in Telekom Slovenije, the nation's incumbent operator.
Reports late last week revealed the government expected to make a decision on an improved offer from private equity investment fund Cinven within a fortnight. The latest offer from Cinven values Telekom Slovenije at €850 million ($933 million).
For more:
- see this Telecom Slovenije announcement
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