BRIDGETOWN – Barbados is now flowing with 4G LTE technology.
In yet another first, leading telecommunications provider Flow has officially switched on its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, a move that ushers in the fourth generation mobile technology across the island.
“This is a great achievement for Barbados and it once again demonstrates our ability to place Barbados ahead of the pack,” said Jenson Sylvester, interim Managing Director, Flow Barbados.
“Last year we invested over $70 million in our network, with a further $80 million earmarked for 2017, and this proves our commitment to ensuring that Barbados remains at the leading-edge of connectivity.”
It was also revealed the company had placed its first successful LTE call last year, however, extensive testing of the network was done before it was officially launched. Flow currently has thirty-five LTE sites online in Barbados.
“We have been in a state of readiness since early October last year but we wanted to be absolutely sure that we had everything in place and our teams were ready to go. We are pleased to say that we are at that point today,” added Sylvester.
“More and more sites will be turned on as we continue to build out the infrastructure and this will decrease current network traffic, so we will be able to send and receive data more quickly, and with LTE technology we can also increase overall capacity for users and get more people connected.”
Nicole Layne, Vice President of Technology, Flow, explained some of the benefits of 4G LTE technology.
“4G LTE is to mobile connectivity what broadband internet is to dial-up, so it will give our customers an enhanced experience of mobile data. It will be as if they were connected to a fixed broadband line with faster upload and download speeds. It’s like if your phone or tablet was at home with a dedicated broadband connection,” she said.
“To enjoy the benefits of 4G LTE, customers simply need a compatible device updated with the latest software or upgrade their sim for free at any of our retail outlets. This is yet another triumph for Barbados in the technology sphere and Flow is pleased to be delivering reliable island-wide 4G LTE first.” (PR)
