Six sites in St Ouen are now connected to the Island’s 4G network, which gives mobile users download that are twice as fast than the existing speeds available through a 3G connection. The faster speeds also allows better quality streaming on video-calling applications such as Skype or Facetime.
4G is available at Les Landes, Les Charrières, L’Etacq, St Ouen’s Village, Grève de Lecq and Ville au Bas as part of JT’s £12 million Islandwide project to improve mobile connectivity.
Ofcom has granted telecoms operators in Jersey, including Sure and Airtel, licences to provide 4G services.
Dave Newbold, chief operations and technology officer at JT, said: ‘We are really excited to have launched the first 4G sites in Jersey.
‘We’ve invested over £12 million in a state of the art Long Term Evolution Advanced 4G network that will drastically improve mobile data services for Islanders.
‘Our new network is expandable and can be regularly upgraded to ensure we are able to take advantage of any new advancement in mobile technology. In addition, it will also ensure significantly improved data connections in buildings.’
Although most smartphone owners will be able to access the network, those who have Samsung or LG devices will not be able to connect using 4G. Samsung and LG have not allowed their handsets to be used on new 4G networks until further testing has been carried out.
JT said that is was currently working with both companies to ensure that all smartphone users can access the super-fast network at a later date.
JT has also assured Islanders that the 4G service will cost the same as the existing 3G network.
Mr Newbold added: ‘Combining our new 4G and our superfast fibre-optic networks together means that people here in Jersey can now begin to experience unrivalled, seamless coverage, wherever they are.’
JT is also working on improving the existing 3G network to give users faster connection and download speeds across the Island.
Meanwhile, Airtel-Vodafone are pressing ahead with the launch of their 4G service.
Peter Zunino, head of marketing at Airtel-Vodafone, said: ‘The launch of 4G brings exciting opportunities for Jersey consumers and businesses to transform the way they communicate with friends, family, clients and colleagues. Therefore, we want to bring 4G to the most populous areas of Jersey first to make sure that the greatest numbers of our customers can benefit from our £15 million investment in this state-of-the-art technology.
‘The regulator’s recent independent report into mobile operators’ quality of service in the Channel Islands saw us achieve the highest customer satisfaction ratings so it’s vital that with our partners, and global leaders in network infrastructure, Nokia Networks, our 4G network undergoes rigorous, extensive testing to ensure we maintain and improve our service levels before any commercial launch. We expect 4G services to be available in April.’
Graham Hughes, chief executive of Sure, said: ‘We expect to have a 4G network that covers the entire island in operation by the end of April.
‘Our engineers have been working hard to entirely replace our 2G and 3G networks, as well as installing a 4G mobile broadband network.
‘We can begin work on the final stage of our 4G network which will provide coverage across Jersey by the end of April.
‘This is an exciting time for Sure and all of our customers.’
What is 4G?
4G is the fourth generation of mobile phone technology and follows on from 2G and 3G.
What can I expect from 4G?
4G services should make it much quicker to surf the web on your mobile, tablets and laptops.
For the typical user, download speeds will be at least twice as fast as the speed currently available on the existing 3G network.
Will the 3G data network change?
Yes for the better.
Currently we only have high speed 3G capable sites in Urban areas, such as in Town, however, as we install the new network, every site across the islands will have a high speed data capability.
In addition, the current 3G spectrum doesn’t travel very far due to the frequency it is transmitted on, but the new 3G sites will operate on a lower frequency, so it will travel further.
What are the benefits of the new network?
JT are installing a new Long Term Evolution (LTE) Advanced network, which is the latest version of LTE, also known as 4G.
Our new network is expandable and can be regularly upgraded to ensure we can take advantage of any new advancement in mobile technology, such as 5G as and when it becomes available.
Will 2G and 3G still work while you 4G is being installed?
During the installation you may experience a brief interruption when the equipment on individual masts changed.
Will I still need fixed broadband?
Yes, as the two services are designed to compliment one another.
For example, fixed broadband is more suitable for indoor use and larger devices such as Smart TV’s and games consoles.
Mobile data is designed for use on the move by smaller devices such as Smartphones and tablets.
For devices that are capable of picking up both 4G and Wi-Fi, your connection should be seamless wherever you are in the Island.
Will I be charged more for using the 4G network?
Unlike some UK operators who have charged a premium for the 4G service, we don’t have any plans to follow this trend.
How will this affect my service?
The new 4G network will be 100% faster than the quickest data speeds that are currently available.
Will I need a new handset?
If you would like to fully utilise the new 4G service, then you will need a 4G capable handset.
