Telstra becomes first to offer HSPA+ at 42M bps
Australian mobile network operator Telstra has become the first operator to launch a mobile broadband service using HSPA+ at 42M bps (bits per second), it said on Monday.
The 42M bps performance is only theoretical, however: users can expect "typical download speeds ranging from 1.1M bps to 20M bps," according to Telstra, while the manufacturer of the HSPA+ (High Speed Packet Access+) equipment, Ericsson, said users can expect peak speeds of up to 30M bps.
To get to 42M bps from 21M bps, the fastest theoretical speed operators could offer using previous HSPA+ equipment, modem and mobile network vendors are implementing a technology called dual carrier, which allows networks to send and receive wireless data using two channels simultaneously.
The roll out of HSPA+ using dual carriers is held back by the availability of modems. Telstra has managed to get its hands on 2,000 Sierra Wireless modems based on a chipset from Qualcomm. Telstra will sell them to its business customers under the "Ultimate USB Modem" brand, and expects to offer the modem more widely later this year.
Other operators are also planning to launch mobile broadband services using HSPA+ at 42M bps, but are still waiting for modems. Recently, Peder Ramel, CEO at 3 Scandinavia, said he is expecting the first modems to arrive sometime in the fourth quarter.
Telstra's Ultimate USB Modem can be purchased with a number of different mobile broadband plans, including paying nothing up-front if they commit to a A$69 (US$62) monthly plan for 24 months.
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And that's The Northern Truth!!
1 Rants:
Hello there, in my opinion mobile wireless (3G, 4G or what not) is a poor solution to internet problems. I highly doubt it will be a viable solution for long term efficient planning.
My own experience with 3G has not been 100% reliable with any of the carriers. Admittedly it has been better than my ADSL, which is next to unusable for anything other than wanting to bang my head on the desk on a periodic basis.
I can appreciate people with working internet connections do not realise the frustration (I was once one of them, however...There is serious inequity of internet connection in Australia and I don't think 4G is going to solve anything.
I am in Kewarra Beach.
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