Samsung, TeliaSonera Launch LTE Laptop

Operator TeliaSonera has joined forces with Samsung Electronics to launch an LTE-equipped laptop, which will go on sale Friday in Sweden, they said on Tuesday.

The laptop is a modified version of Samsung's X430, which weighs about 2 kilograms, has a 14-inch display and an Intel i3 processor. Besides LTE (Long Term Evolution), the laptop can also access the Internet using 3G or GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications).

Without a contract, the laptop will cost about 7,100 Swedish kronor (US$1,080) excluding the value-added tax. The price drops to 4,800 kronor for users willing to sign a 24-month contract.

In addition to that, consumers will have to pay for the LTE subscription. TeliaSonera charges 599 kronor per month, but is offering the first six months of an 18-month contract for 349 kronor.

The X430 will be the first laptop available with LTE, according to the two companies. At CES, Verizon announced two laptops from Hewlett-Packard with LTE. The U.S. operator didn't specify when they would go on sale, but said that its upcoming family of LTE-capable products, which also includes smartphones, tablets and mobile hotspots, are expected to be available by mid-2011.

Verizon's products can't access TeliaSonera's LTE network, and vice versa. The two operators are rolling out the next-generation mobile networking technology using different spectrum bands.

TeliaSonera is keeping mum on detailed launch plans for smartphones and other LTE-capable products, only saying that the number of devices will continue to grow in 2011 and 2012.

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