Faster 4G upload speeds in town by end 2016 following Nokia-StarHub trial

Customers at a StarHub retail outlet on May 5. PHOTO: STARHUB

SINGAPORE - The integration of two cellular technologies will allow StarHub customers to upload content to the Internet from their mobile phones faster by the end of the year.

The telco has been working with communications company Nokia on a trial to open the data pipeline using carrier aggregation technology, which combines two blocks of 4G spectrum to double upload speeds.

By integrating that with another method to boost the strength of radio waves, they were able to achieve theoretical peak upload speeds of 150Mbps.

These speeds are three times faster than current 4G network speeds. Under such conditions, a 200MB 4K resolution video can be uploaded to the Internet in as little as 11 seconds.

Following this trial, the technology will be rolled out in the Marina Bay and Orchard areas by the end of the year, with nationwide deployment planned for 2017.

Upload speeds are becoming increasingly important for consumers who share photos and videos, said StarHub chief technology officer Mr Mock Pak Lum. "The ability to upload quickly is fast becoming a necessity for our mobile customers. In fact, we saw a close to 50 per cent increase in upload traffic year-on-year, as customers increasingly share high definition videos and photos instantly with the world."

Mr Nicolas Bouverot, Nokia's head of Asia South, said: "Our technologies will enable the operator to improve the upload and download speeds of its 4G network even at peak traffic times to enrich the user experience."

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