Telstra announced plans to deploy LTE in Next G network later this year. LTE initially will be rolled out in the central business districts of all Australian capital cities and selected regional centres by the end of 2011.
The planned upgrade will use the company’s existing 1800MHz spectrum to bring 4G to areas where traffic demand is most concentrated. It will be integrated with Telstra’s existing HSPA+ service, which uses the 850MHz spectrum range.
By the end of 2011 Telstra plans to sell dual mode LTE/HSPA+ mobile broadband devices that operate seamlessly across the 1800MHz and 850MHz spectrum ranges, giving customers the benefits of 4G where it is available. However, there will be no change in the quality or coverage footprint for customers who do not wish to upgrade their devices.
The planned upgrade will not require incremental investment to existing plans, instead being funded from Telstra’s existing budget for capital expenditure.
Ericsson in Telstra’s lead vendor. Telstra is also working with network, chipset and device vendors, in conjunction with the Global Suppliers Association and the GSM Association, to establish a global industry group to champion and guide the development of the 4G ecosystem at 1800MHz.http://www.telstra.com
