T-Mobile NL keeps cards close to chest on DC-HSPA+, paper says

Dutch mobile network operator T-Mobile Netherlands has told Telecompaper that whilst it is continuing to invest in its W-CDMA/3G network, it is remaining tight-lipped on plans to deploy dual-carrier (DC) HSPA+ technology. However, it has confirmed that the construction of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G network will kick off in August as planned. Under the remit of T-Mobile’s ‘Let’s Achieve More Together’ programme, the carrier will continue to upgrade its 3G coverage and capacity, noting that the deployment of UMTS-900 for better indoor coverage will also start in 2013, as will HSPA+ in the 2100MHz band. The overlay of DC-HSPA+ will be possible at that point, although ‘this will only be rolled out if it genuinely improves the mobile experience for all customers’, T-Mobile NL said. LTE-1800 coverage is also expected to cover the ‘vast majority’ of the Dutch population by 2H14, it added.