Hong Kong, 24 February 2014 – CSL, the first operator to launch dual band 4G LTE/DC-HSPA+ network in Asia, today joins hands with ZTE to announce the deployment of first LTE Advanced300 Mbps[1]cell site in a commercial network at the Mobile World Congress 2014, Barcelona. CSL is also collaborating with Qualcomm and ZTE on testing a new LTE Advanced CAT6 modem using the Qualcomm Gobi 9x35 chipset, which is expected to be available commercially by the second half of this year.   

This is an important milestone in the evolution of LTE and the mobile industry since it signals the initial rollout of LTE Advanced 300 Mbps on the CSL commercial network, which will continue throughout the year and beyond. CSL has combined its existing licensed 20 MHz LTE carrier at 2600 MHz with another licensed 20 MHz LTE carrier at 1800 MHz, to achieve a maximum theoretical speed of 300 Mbps. ZTE’s industry-leading carrier aggregation (CA) technology helps CSL leverage its unmatched spectrum to deliver game-changing 4G connectivity for consumers and corporations in Hong Kong. CSL is the only operator in Hong Kong today with sufficient FD-LTE spectrum to achieve the optimal theoretical speed of 300 Mbps with LTE-A.

Phil Mottram, Chief Executive Officer of CSL, said, “Our focus is to always deliver the best network experience in Hong Kong to ensure that we are leading the way to greater speeds, stability and coverage for our customers by building out the network capacity and leading-edge 4G LTE capabilities. Hong Kong broadband networks are among the fastest in the world, and therefore Hong Kong customers are accustomed to the highest speeds and are demanding even more. We are creating a future ready network for Hong Kong, a network that will support the growing data needs of business and consumers in this highly mobile city.”

Christian Daigneault, Chief Technology Officer of CSL, noted “The activation of LTE Advanced at 300 Mbps in our network can be done quickly since we already have deployed dual-band LTE Software Definable Radio (SDR) hardware at both 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz at our cell sites, and the upgrade requires a software change in most cases. This makes us one step closer to the introduction of full commercial service in the second half of 2014 when devices are expected to be available.

“ZTE is pleased to support CSL in bringing next-generation mobile services to customers in Hong Kong,” said Mr. Zhang Renjun, Senior Vice President of ZTE Corporation. “The deployment of CA technology greatly strengthens CSL’s position as Hong Kong’s leading operator.”

“We’re pleased to be working with CSL in Hong Kong to deliver customers a significantly faster and better mobile user experience,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Qualcomm Technologies’ fourth-generation 3G/LTE multimode modem, the Gobi 9x35 chipset, is the first to offer Category 6 download speeds up to 300 Mbps, while also offering improved power efficiency and requiring less printed circuit board area than previous generations.”

In 2014, CSL will continue its commitment in providing the best mobile network services in Hong Kong, and LTE-A300 is only one of the technology initiatives CSL will be rolling out this year. After announcing the network launch of Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in December 2013 in its network, CSL also intends to proceed with full commercial launch in the first half of 2014 when device and service are mature.  

About CSL

CSL, established in 1983, is Hong Kong’s first mobile network operator and is also the first mobile company in Hong Kong to employ a distinctive market segmentation strategy to provide customer-focused services through its brands 1O1O, one2free, New World Mobility.

It operates a world-class GSM / WCDMA/ UMTS 900 network in Hong Kong and launched the world’s first dual band 4G LTE with DC-HSPA+ network in 2010, through which it offers comprehensive mobile and broadband services to both local and international customers. As a leading roaming operator in Hong Kong, CSL also provides customers with comprehensive international multi-media connectivity with over 590 mobile operator partners around the world. For more information, please visit www.hkcsl.com.