Brussels, 21/08/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 18 August, the European Commission decided to grant 18 million euros from 2010 to the creation the "Long Term Evolution" (LTE) technology, which will allow fourth-generation mobile telephones (4G) to offer mobile Internet speeds up to a hundred times faster than current third-generation (3G) networks. It justifies its decision in a press release, noting that the LTE technology now constitutes "the industry's first choice for next generation mobile networks". A number of manufacturers (such as Ericsson, Nokia and Siemens) and mobile telephone operators (including T-Mobile, Telefonica O2, Orange, TeliaSonera, Verizon, AT&T and China Mobile) have already committed to use this standard. "With 'LTE' technologies, Europe's research know-how will continue to set standards in the development of mobile services and devices around the globe, just as we did in the past decades with the GSM standard", said Viviane Reding, the Commissioner for Telecommunications and Media. The Commission takes the view that the deployment of the advanced LTE technology will allow better mobile Internet coverage in rural areas and help to reduce the number of masts needed, due to an improved signal range. At the end of 2008, 23% of the population of rural areas European Union still had no access to broadband Internet connection. (M.B./trans.fl)