Orange sets sights on June 2013 LTE launch

Orange Switzerland has announced that its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network will be launched commercially in ten cities on 1 June 2013. The cellco is investing more than CHF700 million (USD758.16 million) on modernising, expanding and upgrading its wireless networks. As noted by TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Orange paid a total of CHF154.7 million for frequencies in the spectrum auction earlier this year, securing 40MHz in each of the 2.1GHz FDD and 2.6GHz FDD bands as well as 50MHz in the 1800MHz range. Orange was sold by France Telecom-Orange in February this year to Apax Partners for CHF2 billion, though the cellco pays brand fees to the French group whilst it continues to use the Orange moniker.