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RIM beginning work on LTE handset?

By: , IntoMobile
Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 7:56 AM
Long-Term Evolution

Long-Term Evolution

Long-Term Evolution is the next step for wireless networks, and RIM wants to be on board the minute the 4G technology gets deployed; according to insiders, a team has been formed to begin work on a 4G BlackBerry using the LTE standard. BlackBerrys were a little late to the 3G game, with the 8703 being the only supporting smartphone available until the EV-DO BlackBerry 8130 was released last winter. LTE is going to be quite the jump, promising data downlink speeds of up to 300 Mbit/s, a boat that RIM obviously wants to be on, especially when some impressive WiMAX devices are beginning to make the rounds already. RIM still has some time before LTE becomes widespread however – the infrastructure won’t be rolling out until 2010.

[via BGR]

About The Author

Simon Sage

Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.