After further trials of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in May, Telstra will start selling its USB 4G modem (pictured) on August 29. It will operate across the LTE 1800MHz spectrum and NextG’s 850MHz band. But before you get too excited: The initial commercial pilot targets business types in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane only — ahead of a wider national rollout later this year. Oh, and Telstra won’t actually say what speeds you’ll get…
Telstra’s Melbourne LTE trials in December last year had speeds in the range of 150Mbps for downloads and 59Mbps for uploads. Though real world speeds may ultimately differ — I’ve been salivating since — and I’m a little bummed that Telstra won’t commit to speeds for its pilot. A Telstra spokesman told Gizmodo that “customers will certainly notice the difference” and that “speeds will be provided with the national launch.” Am I the only one thinking that it’s weird Telstra can sell a product for which they won’t (or can’t) guarantee a minimum experience?
Maybe it’s because the pilot initially only provides 4G/LTE coverage within 5km of the big General Post Office in each of the three cities. “Speeds vary due to factors such as distance from base station, local conditions, user numbers, hardware and software configuration.”
Telstra’s CEO, David Thodey, says around 2000 of the 4G modems will go on sale. “The commercial pilot will give some of our customers a taste of the faster speeds, greater capacity and quicker response times that can be available for mobile services on 4G ahead of our national launch in major capital cities and selected regional centres later this year.
The stick can be bought with a range of plans, including for $0 upfront on the $49 Telstra Mobile Broadband Standard Plan over 24 months (minimum total cost $1,176) with 7GB included data. If you’re interested in signing your business up, you can register over at [Telstra]
More:
- Mobile Five Reasons Why Telstra’s LTE Network Is Great News
- Lifehacker 101 Explains LTE And 4G For Beginners
Barry
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 9:35 AMLTE isn’t 4G, it’s 3.5G at most.
Dy4me
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 9:47 AMmore like 3.9G. But try convincing the telecom operators in the US that. they are already marketing HSPA+ as 4G
Sylphier
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 10:21 AM3G is UMTS is Australia, HSDPA has been known as 3.5G by a few then ’3.75′ as HSPA+. LTE is more like ’3.8′-’3.9′, and LTE-Advance should be a proper 4G standard.
But realistically, it doesn’t matter. Once the world knows LTE as 4G, the true definition loses significance, regardless of what the original meaning. If 90% of the world population says a raven is white, then the raven is white.
travis
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 1:48 PMThey call it 4G because it “will” be 4G soon after the launch as Telstra is already getting the required materials for the upgrade to LTE-A.
Hugh
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 9:39 AMProbably all the carriers are worried about making speed claims given Optus got fined a few weeks ago, and their new white paper on speed claims for HFC/NBN makes it fairly clear that they don’t want headline claims, but real world experience.
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/item.phtml?itemId=994881&nodeId=810b10f93dec12ac3ebe15ffb9bbc486&fn=HFC%20and%20Optical%20Fibre%20Broadband%20Speed%20Claims%20and%20the%20CCA%20-%20Information%20Paper.pdf
Justin
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 9:48 AMWhy the hell does Telstra always only offer it’s services in Metro and “Selected” regional areas. Talk about segregation. I live in Kelsey Creek near Proserpine and we get nothing out here.
Muhammad
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 9:53 AMCost Benifit my friend, you will always lose when someone needs to make money.
Scott
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 12:03 PMYou’re complaining about no coverage? Do you even have electricity?
Nicholas
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 10:10 AMWhat, you expect them to role it out in whoop whoop first? Naturally the business centres of the country come first, that is where the most users and demand is.
Just give it time it’ll get every where.
Nicholas
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 10:14 AMPS
Also 1800mhz is only really suited for cities, doesn’t have the range to serve rural areas well. Rural areas will need 850mhz.
And Next G is currently utilising 850mhz, LTE in rural areas will probably come when they can deploy 700mhz after the analogue TV shut down.
Harvz
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 10:27 AMi have already filed a complaint with the ACCC about telstra claiming there LTE is 4G
Here was there response.
Section 18 of the ACL is a broad provision which prohibits a person, in trade or commerce, from engaging in conduct which is misleading or deceptive, or which is likely to mislead or deceive. Whether particular conduct is misleading or deceptive is a question of fact to be determined in the context of the evidence as to the alleged conduct and to the relevant surrounding facts and circumstances.
Your complaint has been recorded by the ACCC and will be used in monitoring whether there is a pattern of conduct by Telstra or a pattern within the telecommunications industry which may raise concerns and will be used to inform the ACCC’s compliance and enforcement activities. Whilst individual complaints also form the basis of investigations, it must be noted that the ACCC does not comment on matters we may or may not be investigating and the ACCC is unable to provide you with further information of any action we may or may not be taking in relation to your complaint. Please also note that the ACCC will only contact you again in relation to your complaint if we require further information or evidence to assist in our enquiries
Stirling
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 11:32 AMSadly the American phone companies already corrupted the ITU and forced them to allow LTE to be classed 4G :( http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/18/itu-capitulates-admits-that-the-term-4g-could-apply-to-lte-w/
travis
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 1:54 PMDifference here to the US is that Telstra has already, before all you narky people could get them, pointed out that it isn’t true 4G and have already committed to upgrade it to LTE-A(4G) which is a recognised 4G standard.
Harvz
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 2:52 PMso if its not true 4G they cant say its 4G at all. i am glad to hear they will upgrade it but they cant sell it now calling it 4G.
Greg
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 2:16 PMAnd what does this have to do with the ACCC? What are you expecting them to protect you against?
Harvz
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 2:47 PMnot sure if you read what they said but “Section 18 of the ACL is a broad provision which prohibits a person, in trade or commerce, from engaging in conduct which is misleading or deceptive, or which is likely to mislead or deceive”
they take companies to court for this
jus google ACCC and optus
Gage
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 10:33 AMUm, modem big enough? Imagine that hanging off the side of your MacBook Air!
James
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 11:51 AMJust imagine someone stupid enough to buy a macbook air!
Greg
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 2:14 PMThe macbook air has USB? Since when did Apple join the 21st century?
Nate
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 3:18 PMIt is exactly the same size and shape as the existing “Ultimate” (42Mb) branded devices offred by Telstra.
Dan B
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 12:51 PMIf you actually walked into a store and asked…
The speeds have a maximum of 168Mbps, though the standard benchmark for metro areas is 10-20MBps
and the standard for rural is from 5-10MBps
Lord Crumplebottom
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 3:29 PMWell if the NBN hurries up then 168Mbps may be more achievable than what we can get on copper.
Greg
Monday, August 8, 2011 at 2:14 PMNo mobile network operator ever guarantees any particular performance. That would be completely insane.
Barii
Friday, September 2, 2011 at 6:09 PMJust thought to let everyone know. got my hands on one today for testing!
Telstra says that a maximum of 80Mbps. however the maximum that I got was 68Mbps down and 24Mbps up at north Sydney!
looking great for me!!
Sean
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 6:21 PMThe fastest that i got here in Brisbane CBD is 101 mbps download and upload is about 35 to 40 mbps but alot of times i can get between 40 to 85 mbps download and upload around 18 to 40 and that is weekdays the 101 mbps download was on a sunday afternoon in a brisbane cbd shopping centre on the top floor. I was on a bus going home and i clocked 85 mbps download and 40 mbps upload the gold coast i get 25 mbps down load and 14 mbps upload and that was in the middle of surfers paradise and i got that same speed at pacific fair shopping centre and that is about 5km from surfers paradise
Chance
Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 11:01 AMAs far as I’m aware from what I’ve read into it, its a pretty clever marketing ploy, they’re selling a ’4G capable device on LTE’ not the 4G LTE-A Service yet.
mike
Monday, September 26, 2011 at 6:51 PMAround Hyde park i got consistent speeds of over 30mb/s down and 18Mb/s up! Sure beats my adsl2+!