James Delahunty
24 Apr 2009 23:38
The Finnish government has allocated extra frequencies to telecom firms TeliaSonera, Elisa and DNA for the new fourth generation (4G) mobile communications technology. The allocated frequencies for the 4G network are located in the 1,800 megahertz band, lower than most other European nations, but requiring less base stations and so, reducing the cost of setting up the networks.
"The decision will help to make fast wireless networks more widely available in all parts of Finland," Suvi Linden, Finland's minister of communications, said in a statement. Linden said she hoped that telecommunications companies will now start to prepare for the 4G technology. Telecom operators are working together with handset manufacturers such as Finnish giant Nokia to develop 4G technology.
A large part of the Finnish population resides in rural areas, and the government plans to develop better Internet access across the country. The fourth generation (4G) technology will allow users to surf the internet or transfer data such as photos or videos more quickly than the current third generation (3G) technology.