SingTel may have made the most noise in recent months but M1 this week beat its biggest rival to be the first to deliver a nationwide 300Mbps mobile broadband service.
Offering twice the current 4G speeds of 150Mbps, the upgraded 4G+ or Long Term Evolution – Advanced (LTE-A) cellphone network technology won’t cost more for M1 users to access.
What they need, though, is to get hold of one of a small but growing number of devices that can link up. For now, these include Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge and a Huawei mobile hotspot device.
M1’s coverage extends to 95 per cent of outdoor areas and most indoor areas in Singapore, the common definition for islandwide coverage here.
In pulling a rabbit out of a hat on Tuesday, the smallest operator may have surprised its bigger rivals with the pace of its rollout as well.
SingTel had been the first to provide such 4G+ services in Singapore and is still scheduled to offer coverage to about 85 to 90 per cent of outdoor areas by early next year. StarHub, meanwhile, has only said it would be ready nationwide some time next year.
The race for 4G+ may also have shown that operators are at least competing in terms of offering a faster lane on the cyber highway.
Earlier this year, when all three operators raised prices for 4G services, users were upset that they were getting a worse deal than before, with a lack of tougher competition.
Are you on a 4G+ service? Share your experience on the fast lane in the comments.
