The Tribune

THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) said yesterday that its 4G network will be upgraded by year-end to facilitate its Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology platform, which will generate high-speed data on mobile phones and data terminals.

Marlon Johnson, BTC’s senior vice-president of brands and communications, said: 
“This further upgrade to a completely new network is in keeping with BTC’s goal of remaining the leader in the Bahamas’ telecommunications market by creating a world-class experience.

“BTC is moving at a very rapid pace, given the 4G launch in December 2011, and is already moving subscribers seamlessly on to LTE, the fastest world-standard network available.
 “LTE will mean that everything on your mobile will be that much faster due to more sophisticated applications. Data downloads and video streaming, for instance, will be noticeably faster and coverage extended.”
 Mr Johnson said the nationwide roll-out would take place in two phases. Phase one is scheduled for December completion on the island of New Providence, in time for Christmas.

Phase two will see LTE’s arrival in Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera by mid-2014. The other major islands will follow thereafter.

Mr Johnson indicated that BTC will announce a range of LTE-capable phones as part of the campaign to launch the service. 
 “This new LTE network will put BTC on par with any mobile carrier in the world in terms of data performance,” he said. “It will also allow for exciting commercial applications – allowing businesses to conduct commerce wirelessly on a very fast and ultra reliable platform.

BTC will also expand the facilities that allow mobile phone usage in heavy traffic areas, such as Concourses ‘B’ and ‘C’ at the Lynden Pindling International Airport; major hotels; the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium; and the malls on New Providence.

Its technology partner, Huawei, provided a solution that led to an improved BTC CDMA outdoor telephone infrastructure that caters to visitors to the Bahamas, and the transmission for the police CCTV network.

BTC will also invest $40 million with Huawei for the upgrade of its fibre optic cable that connects all the Bahamian islands in a ring.