ITWire

vividwireless holds licences to some 98MHz of spectrum in the 2.3GHz band - much more than present mobile networks operate in - and Optus says it will use this to build "the highest capacity 4G [ie LTE] network in Australia offering customers a fast and consistent 4G experience."

Based on a two month trial of LTE-TDD  conducted by vividwireless in early 2011, Optus is promising "typical download speeds ranging from 25Mbps to 87Mbps" to households and businesses in metropolitan Australia.

It claims that "rollout will be fast tracked with the benefit of additional existing shared mobile sites following the recent extended joint venture agreement with Vodafone [VHA]."

Optus also promised "Enhancement to Optus' existing 4G network, which was launched in Newcastle and the Hunter region of New South Wales in April 2012," and said this would be "expanded to capital cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Perth by middle of the year." This however was an LTE-FDD network.

Vividwireless uses Huawei base stations for its WiMAX network and for its LTE-TDD trial, and Huawei claims the WiMAX version is software upgradeable to LTE-TDD.

Huawei also supplied Optus with gear for its 700MHz LTE-FDD trial and was named as the supplier for Optus' first commercial LTE-FDD network, operating at 1800MHz, in the Newcastle area.

Optus said it had received ACCC and FIRB approval for the acquisition of vividwireless, which was announced in February,  and had been advised by the ACMA of its willingness to reissue key vividwireless licences in accordance with the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Access Charges) Direction 2012.