Telstra reveals high speed results from APT700 MHz testing in Perth

Media Release, 18 June 2014

The future of 4G is being trialed in Perth and Fremantle CBDs, with Telstra achieving field speeds between 220-235 Mbps in testing on the production network.

Group Managing Director Networks, Mike Wright said the trials aggregate the maximum 20MHz + 20MHz bandwidth possible on the 1800 MHz and 700 MHz bands using the Telstra Wi-Fi 4G Advanced Pro X device.

“Our trials in Perth and Fremantle are designed to ensure Telstra customers remain at the forefront of mobile connectivity and are a significant step in future-proofing our network,” Mr Wright said.

“We already completed successful testing of the APT700 MHz band in regional New South Wales and we are now extending this work in a dense capital city environment, including over a dozen cells covering much of the CBD. This trial is also the first opportunity to test out the performance of two popular 4G devices compatible with the APT700 MHz band, the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8.”

The planned addition of a full 20 MHz of bandwidth in the 700 MHz band to the existing 1800 MHz spectrum used by the Telstra 4G network will deliver a range of speed, performance and coverage benefits to customers.

“The additional spectrum and introduction of LTE-Advanced technology represents a major investment in the future of telecommunications in Australia and means we can continue to deliver a superior mobile experience for our customers,” Mr Wright said.

“Our trial results are a great illustration of the potential of this new technology, although it’s important to note that when the APT700MHz service is commercially launched, typical data speeds achievable by individual customers will be lower than the speeds seen in these trials.”

Telstra’s recent successful field trial in Griffith, NSW demonstrated the aggregation of a smaller 15 MHz + 15 MHz bandwidth combination using a pre-production device in a regional city environment.


Footnotes

  • Access to the 700 MHz band was possible due to the provision of a scientific testing licence from the Australian Communications and Media Authority
  • These speeds were achieved during testing on Thursday 12 June