Telstra preparing to launch first 4G mobile modem later this month

Brenton Currie
Monday, 08 August 2011 12:22

IT Industry - Strategy

Telstra has this morning announced it'll make the first commercially available 4G mobile modem available to business customers beginning August 29.

Dubbed the Telstra USB 4G, the mobile modem will be the first Telstra device to work on its new 4G network, which will initially cover Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney city centres and was initially announced at the Mobile World Congress earlier in the year.

Telstra notes 4G or Long Term Evolution (LTE) coverage '” the next-generation mobile standard which can better cope with the huge growth in data-intense smartphones '” will initially be available within 5km from the GPO in each city, with speeds theoretically capable of reaching up to 100 megabits per second.

However in most situations it'll range between 60 and 80 megabits per second, Telstra CEO David Thodey said earlier in the year.

The 4G USB modem will run on both Telstra's 4G and 3G HSPA networks, meaning in regions where the 4G roll-out has yet to occur, customers will be able to use the device on Telstra's existing 3G network which covers nearly 99% of Australia's population.

Telstra will limit the initial August 29 availability of the devices to just 2000 business customers, saying the roll-out forms a 'commercial pilot' ahead of a full-scale launch later in the year.