O2 has confirmed it will be first provider to launch 4G (or LTE – Long Term Evolution) trials across parts of London ahead of the anticipated roll-out of superfast mobile broadband in 2013.

Inviting 1,000 people to participate, O2 has erected 25 4G masts spanning 40 square kilometers across Canary Wharf, Soho, Westminster, South Bank and Kings Cross. The trial will run over a period of nine months and will use the 2.6GHz spectrum band under a Test and Development licence granted to O2 by OFCOM.

Those taking part in the trial will be supplied with Samsung B3730 mobile broadband dongles, which offer speeds of up to 100Mbps. The trial has gone live from immediate effect.

“Today’s launch of the UK’s first 4G London trial network demonstrates our commitment to delivering 4G to our customers at the earliest opportunity”, says Ronan Dunne, Chief Executive Officer of Telefónica UK (O2). “The work we are doing now will lay the foundations for our commercial 4G network when it launches in the UK.”

You can find more details on O2’s plans for 4G at the official site.