The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has opened a new flagship retail store and switched on what it is calling a 4G network. However, the FAQ on their website admits that this is a HSPA+ upgrade, and download speeds are limited to 8Mbps.

The launch of upgrade follows a $43 million capital expenditure in the network and a $55 million investment in NGN, the platform which boosts all of the nation’s telecoms capabilities.

BTC’s CEO Geoff Houston said in a statement that the transition had caused some recent interruption in cell service, but said BTC had to convert to a totally new platform while trying to keep the old one alive. “For us, it was a little like performing open heart surgery while the patient was walking around.”

The Nassau store is the first of 50 planned for throughout the country with another opening scheduled for December 12 in Grand Bahama when the major population centres of that island will experience 4G. Complete penetration of high-speed mobile and internet service in the Family Islands is slated for mid-2012.