The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), part of Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), has completed the full commercial launch of the country’s only Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile data services.
4G LTE is the fastest mobile data service currently available to telecoms operators and will enable BTC to increase the speed at which its customers can download mobile data at least five-fold. Customers can expect download speeds of between 10 – 15 megabits per second in normal circumstances. This will deliver an improved mobile data experience while enabling them to access new services like video calling and the streaming of HD video.
The current deployment provides BTC with the largest 4G LTE network footprint in the Caribbean region. LTE will be available in The Bahamas’ four most populated islands this month and then rolled out to the rest of the country. The network upgrade has been undertaken by Huawei.
BTC has been granted a 15 year licence to provide LTE mobile data services on the 700 megahertz radio frequency, which provides good in-building penetration, and is the favoured frequency range used in the United States, ensuring compatibility with the widest range of popular smartphones.
Geoff Houston, Chief Executive of BTC, said:
“The launch of 4G LTE services positions us on a par with the gold standard for mobile data used in the United States. We have invested to meet our commitment to deliver a world class mobile data and voice experience to our customers.”
BTC is the exclusive mobile operator in the country which has a population of 319,000 people. CWC also offers LTE services in the Cayman Islands and Monaco.