Telstra has launched the
world’s fastest mobile
broadband service,
ushering in a new era in
real-time mobile
communications that will
bring major benefits to
customers, innovation
and business
productivity.
The CEO, Sol Trujillo,
along with the CEOs of
Ericsson, Qualcomm and
Sierra Wireless jointly
announced a new 21Mbps
peak-rated mobile
broadband modem, Telstra
Turbo 21, would be
available to customers
on Telstra’s
supercharged HSPA+
network, the Next G™
network, on 23 February.
Peak network speeds will
increase to 42Mbps later
this year.
Speaking at the GSMA
Mobile World Congress in
Barcelona, Sol said for
the first time a mobile
network would bring a
true real-time broadband
experience to customers,
providing significant
benefits in health care,
education and business
productivity, in
addition to an enhanced
consumer entertainment
experience.
“In just over two years, we have
taken our world leading network
from peak network speeds of
3.6Mbps to 21Mbps and today we
are launching the world’s first
commercial 21Mbps peak-rated
modem – more than three times
faster than devices currently in
market,” Sol said.
“Using the new
21Mbps rated devices, a high
quality x-ray image can be
downloaded by a doctor in about
15 seconds - the potential cost
and time savings across the
health care industry are
extraordinary. A consumer can
access and download an mp3 song
in just four seconds or a
YouTube video in just six
seconds. Some of our business
customers are already seeing
productivity uplifts of up to 30
per cent in parts of their
workforces from the Next G™
network by cutting travel costs
and saving time.
“With 21Mbps
rated network and devices, we
expect to see business
productivity increase even
further at a time when business
and governments need to find
practical ways to lift economies
out of recession and do more
with less.”
According to a recent report by
Concept Economics, the
Next G™ Productivity Impacts
study,
industries such as passenger
transport, real estate,
construction, finance, trade,
education and health in
particular benefit from
high-speed mobile broadband.
The study
revealed that high-speed mobile
broadband is cutting costs by
reducing the need for travel,
saving time and generating new
business. Its modelling found
the Next G™ network alone could
lead to real GDP increases of up
to 0.7 % per year in
Australia.
The success of
the Next G™ network in Australia
has seen Telstra achieve world
leading results, with 3G
penetration growing by 19
percentage points to 54 per cent
at the end of December 2008,
while maintaining a 3G vs 2G
post-paid ARPU differential in
excess of A$20. Data accounted
for 36% of mobile services
retail revenue over the same
period.
In Telstra’s
consumer segments, post-paid
value-added services grew by 19
per cent, while pre-paid
value-added services grew by 23
per cent.
At launch, the
21Mbps rated modems will be
available to some business
customers, with a consumer
offering available in April.
Customers with these devices
will see typical download speeds
ranging up to 8Mbps.
Ericsson CEO,
Carl-Henric Svanberg said
Ericsson shared Telstra's vision
of mobile broadband.
“The
record-breaking speed ensures
even greater flexibility,
efficiency and convenience,”
Carl said.
Qualcomm CEO,
Paul Jacobs said: “Telstra’s
Next G™ network breaks new
ground for the wireless
industry, leveraging the
advanced capabilities of HSPA+
to seamlessly evolve their
existing network to meet
next-generation mobile user
demands.
Sierra Wireless
CEO, Jason Cohenour said Telstra
took an early leadership role in
HSPA+, approaching Sierra
Wireless long before any other
carrier to ensure devices would
be ready for the first HSPA+
network rollout in the world.
“We're pleased to
support Telstra in being first
in the world to deliver that to
customers,” Jason said.
