BROADBAND SPEED

Broadband 3G could hit speeds of 84 megabits per second in the next two years, according to Fergal Kelly, Vodafone’s chief technology officer.

Speaking to The Sunday Business Post, Kelly said the mobile operator had spent the past year upgrade its systems to prepare for the 4G long-term evolution (LTE), which promises download speeds of up to 100 megabits per second.

Kelly said Vodafone was trialling 42 mbs on its network at present – and this could lead to 84mbs shortly. Although, as he also pointed out, “there aren’t really that many applications that people use on the web at the moment that call for 84mbs”.

He also admitted: “Anyway, those are peak, theoretical speeds. In practice, it will be a lot more modest.”

A few of us would settle for anything a lot more modest right now!