Mobilicity has become the latest carrier to push its network into the 21 Mbps range.
The Toronto-based wireless carrier, which also operates in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa, said Tuesday that its Ericsson LM -based HSPA+ network has been upgraded to offer customers the potential of faster download speeds. Now it can join other carriers in saying it offers 4G (fourth generation) wireless service.
In 2008 the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) defined 4G wireless technologies as those offering download speeds of at least 100 Mbps. At the time, the fledgling Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Mobile WiMax standards had that potential. Two years later the ITU lowered that standard so carriers offering HSPA+ — on the market before LTE — could say they, too, offer 4G service.
Mobilicity now joins HSPA carriers Wind Mobile, Videotron and SaskTel in boasting of 4G networks, as do LTE carriers Rogers Communications, Bell Mobility and Telus Corp. SaskTel, however, is just finishing building an LTE network, which is expected to go live in Regina and Saskatoon shortly.
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With the increased network speed Mobilicity has also add two new data packages that can be added to existing plans. The Premium Data Add-on provides 20 GB of data for $20 a month. For those who want cellular Internet access on a laptop, the Premium Mobile Data Internet Plan costs $50 a month, plus $79.99 for a Huawei E366 data stick.
Mobilicity has also dropped the price of its Basic Mobile Data Internet Plan to $35 a month from $40.