Samsung Takes Galaxy Tablets to Nordic LTE Networks
Samsung announced Tuesday that the upcoming Galaxy 8.9 tablet running on Android 3.0, Honeycomb, will be given the ability to connect with Nordic LTE (Long-Term Evolution) mobile networks. Smartphones and tablets with LTE connections are currently compatible with US networks only. Overseas networks offering LTE services have different frequency bands and US products are not generally compatible with every network.
Samsung didn’t specify the LTE spectrum band of its Galaxy 8.9 release. Normally, Nordic countries run on 2.6GHz, and this is pretty much it in most European countries such as Germany, France and the UK. They can also opt for 800MHz which is also used in Germany. Given top two choices, it would be great to have the tablet handle multiple frequency bands at once. Both the bands have strengths in areas and incorporating both capabilities in a single device will mean fast speed and wider coverage. 800MHz has wider range and penetrates easily which is great for indoor coverage and rural areas. 2.5HGz on the other hand, provides data rates that are higher.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 8.9 was launched on Tuesday at the CTIA Wireless Tradeshow in Orlando, Florida. It has a 1GHz dual-core processors, an 8.9-inch display with 1200 x 800 pixel resolution, and runs on Android 3.0 Honeycomb. The Nordic version is expected to roll out on the second half of 2011.
Samsung is not the only company banking on LTE network expansion to other countries. ZTE announced a similar undertaking and will roll out their 700MHz and 2.6GHz frequency bands LTE tablets on the second quarter. According to a recent report from GSA (Global Suppliers Associate), all in all, LTE devices and modules has swelled up to 98.
And it seems like the tablet market’s getting another competitor. HTC announced their Flyer which, surprisingly, run on Android 2.4 Gingerbread, not Honeycomb 3.0. This was justified though saying they will be releasing the version pretty early and in smaller volumes only. They will be introducing two more Flyer tablet version in mid 2011 which will come with Android 3.0 Honeycomb. There are no details regarding the next release just yet.
Since you’re here …
… We’d like to tell you about our mission and how you can help us fulfill it. SiliconANGLE Media Inc.’s business model is based on the intrinsic value of the content, not advertising. Unlike many online publications, we don’t have a paywall or run banner advertising, because we want to keep our journalism open, without influence or the need to chase traffic.The journalism, reporting and commentary on SiliconANGLE — along with live, unscripted video from our Silicon Valley studio and globe-trotting video teams at theCUBE — take a lot of hard work, time and money. Keeping the quality high requires the support of sponsors who are aligned with our vision of ad-free journalism content.
If you like the reporting, video interviews and other ad-free content here, please take a moment to check out a sample of the video content supported by our sponsors, tweet your support, and keep coming back to SiliconANGLE.
