By Keri Algar
SYDNEY, NSW: As major mobile suppliers reveal their new lines of internet enabled smartphones and tablets at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona this week, Telstra has come to the party by announcing its intention to upgrade its wireless network with 4G technology by the end of 2011.
Telstra said that the significant upgrade of the existing NextG network with Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology would be rolled out across the central districts of Australian capital cities and some regional areas by the end of this year.
“The technology can provide many Australians with faster data speeds, high-quality video conferencing and faster response times when using mobile applications or accessing the internet,” said Telstra CEO David Thodey in a statement.
“It can also help Telstra meet demand for mobile data, which is doubling every year as customers move to adopt data-hungry smartphones, mobile modems and tablets.”
“We see the integration of LTE technology into the Next G network as a way to continue to deliver high quality services and meet growing customer demand, and we are very happy to bring this service to Australia thanks to a partnership with our long-time collaborators Ericsson, Sierra Wireless and Qualcomm.”
Meanwhile, LG unveiled its new series of smartphones at the MWC including the LG Optimus 3D, which is set for a June release in Australia, though pricing nor carriers have been confirmed. The LG Revolution is also the company’s first phone compatible with 4G LTE networks; its release date in Australia is unknown.
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