Wireless services provider CellularOne has launched Bermuda's first 4G-branded network.Frank Amaral, the company's chief operating officer, said at a press conference yesterday that the upgrade of the network, which will allow data speeds up to six times faster on 4G-enabled devices, took effect last week.Mr Amaral said the network could achieve maximum theoretical downlaod speeds of 21 megabits per second (MB/s) and was on a par with the best wireless technology in use in the world.Tests by CellularOne, which is owned by Bermuda Digital Communications Ltd, have achieved delivered speeds of between 10 and 12 MB/s, but appropriate devices will be needed to realise that, Mr Amaral said. Those downloading streaming data on devices such as iPads should see a significant improvement immediately, he added.CellularOne customers will be automatically upgraded to the new network at no charge.The company expects to offer new 4G handsets later this year, Mr Amaral said, as devices become more widely available from manufacturers.“We're thrilled to be able to offer the first 4G wireless network in Bermuda,” Mr Amaral said. “With 4G data speeds, our customers will be able to e-mail faster, surf the web quicker and stream media faster than those using the old 3G technology,” Mr Amaral said.The 4G label means fourth generation of telecommunications technology. According to the International Telecommunications Union, “technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed” can be considered 4G.Mr Amaral said the HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access evolved) technology used on the CellularOne network qualifies as 4G. It is the same technology being used by US carriers AT& T and T Mobile, who also market it as 4G.Rival carrier Digicel, which describes its network as 3G+, also utilises the HPSA+ technology and plans to offer customers faster download speeds in the future, using its Long Term Evolution technology from Swedish supplier Ericsson, once handsets are available to utilise it.According to PC World magazine, the ITU “softened” its definition of 4G in a statement made on December 6 last year, which has allowed HPSA+ to be described as 4G, rather than 3G+.The other major play in the wireless services market is M3 Wireless, which launched its 3G service in March last year and whose CEO Sheila Lines told the January/February edition of The Bottom Line magazine that her company will shortly be upgrading to 3G+.