Bell Launches Quad-Band LTE-A Network, First in North America

Bell Lg

Bell has announced the launch of North America’s first Quad-Band LTE Advanced (LTE-A) service, which is capable of delivering theoretical broadband speeds of up to 750 Megabits per second, thanks to 256 QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) technology.

“Bell has built a strong reputation for leading innovation in Canadian broadband communications, enabled by a great team and the highest levels of investment in network infrastructure and Canadian R&D,” said Stephen Howe, Bell’s Chief Technology Officer. “Bell delivered North America’s first Tri Band LTE-A mobile service in 2015, and we’re proud to announce today that we’re first to successfully implement not only Quad Band LTE-A but also the further 256 QAM enhancements that take Canadian mobile speeds to unparalleled new levels.”

The Quad-Band technology, known as 4-carrier aggregation, leverages multiple bands of wireless spectrum and, when combined with 256 QAM technology, enables Bell to deliver average speeds of between 22 Mbps and 174 Mbps. Quadrature amplitude modulation is a form of modulation used for modulating data signals onto a carrier used for radio communications. 64 QAM and 256 QAM are often used in digital cable television and cable modem applications.

The first device to benefit from Bell’s stellar download speeds is the Galaxy S8 and S8+. In the coming months the device software will be automatically upgraded to operate on Bell’s Quad-band 256 QAM LTE. The devices are available from Bell, starting today.

Bell has LTE coverage for more than 97% of the Canadian population, and 73% are now covered by a growing LTE Advanced footprint, the carrier claims.

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