IPX enables LTE roaming between Europe and Asia

Swisscom claims to have performed the world’s first intercontinental LTE roaming connection between Europe and Asia, having opened up roaming services with South Korea.

The Swiss carrier said it was offering international LTE roaming earlier this month but it was only on Thursday that wholesale carrier services firm BICS was identified as the facilitator for LTE roaming via its IPX offering.

It became clear at LTE World Summit in Amsterdam this week that IPX hubs are becoming increasingly popular as operators move away from traditional bilateral agreements.

Through the BICS IPX, users roaming in Switzerland and South Korea will maintain access to LTE services. In early July the roaming facility will be extended to customers in Canada and Hong Kong.

Back in February, the world’s first LTE network operator, Sweden’s TeliaSonera launched international 4G LTE roaming for customers of its Telia Denmark division, making it the first operator in Europe, if not the world, to offer LTE roaming. Speaking at the event this week, Tommy Ljunggren, VP system development at TeliaSonera said: “Solving the technical part of roaming is easy, it’s the commercial part that slows things down.”