www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The peak HSPA Mobile broadband data download speeds will be upgraded by Qatar Telecom (Qtel) in stages, to a theoretical maximum of 42Mbps by the end of this year. The telco has already reached a peak of 14.4Mbps through an upgrade of its HSDPA network.

The next stage of the operator will be based on HSPA+ technology and will yield speeds of up to 21Mbps by August. New 21Mbps-capable USB wireless modem will also be launched to support the upgrade besides it is also preparing to begin a trial of 42Mbps HSPA+ services, with the aim of launching commercially later in the year.

Meanwhile, in Qatar, over 50,000 people subscribe to Qtel’s mobile broadband internet services, and these users will be able to access the new speeds on HSPA+-capable devices at no extra cost.