Telstra Launches 21Mbps Download Service

Australian network, Telstra has commercially launched the world's fastest mobile broadband service. The service will offer a 21Mbps peak download rate and the peak network speeds will increase to 42Mbps later this year.

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.

Speaking at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo 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," Mr Trujillo 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.

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 lead to 3G penetration growing by 19 percentage points to 54 percent 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 revenueover the same period.

Posted to the site on 16th February 2009