Telstra have stated they’ll be ceasing use of their 2100MHz 3G network which is currently shared with VHA (Voda + Three) and currently operates in metropolitan areas (view coverage map) on the 1st of January next year. Although this isn’t directly related to Android in Australia, I still think it’s worth reporting on as I know a lot of people out their own Android devices from Vodafone and Optus that they then use on Telstra’s 2100MHz network as the devices don’t usually support 850MHz (Telstra NextG); think of it as a Public Service Announcement on our behalf 😉
With Telstra no longer using the 2100MHz it means all their mobile subscribers will run off their NextG network operating on 850MHz. NextG is the fastest network in Australia with the best coverage, however, with subscribers being moved over to the network, it will surely see a massive influx of traffic and will slow down. What I suspect Telstra will do is migrate their massive data users over to their LTE (4G) network when it launches later this year, which will lower data use and traffic on their 3G network.
First of all, Telstra, where do I sign up for LTE. Secondly, when are the LTE Android devices coming?
So does this mean Optus will maintain a 2100mHz network and this is just a Telstra issue or is this a drama for anyone in Oz using the 2100 Network? What about Vodafone and 3 users?
Having imported my phone to circumvent the crazy prices they charge for them here, this will make my phone effectively useless. Thanks, Telstra.
How is you importing your phone Telstra’s problem?
It’s not like I imported my phone from Jupiter.
Yay, this will go nicely with my Galaxy S III 4G #hereshoping #fingerscrossedÂ
Problem is the 850 network is really struggling under the load in some locations. At various times last week you couldn’t even load the google website in Southbank, Melbourne.
Telstra have reduced prices so that people will now pay the premium for a premium network, especially withthe Vodafone debacle. However, their network hasn’t grown at the same pace the subscriber base has.
As far as I know, isn’t Galaxy S II an LTE device?
No it isn’t. Requires a completely different chip, which very few phones actually have. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for Verizon (USA) has an LTE chip in it, perhaps that is what you are confusing it with?
Since I’m not planning on moving to telstra anytime soon, this sounds ok to me – it could even speed up optus service.
Wont this make Telstra a bad choice for visitors from other countries that want to use Global Roaming?
Given 850MHz only seems to be popular here and the USA, many visitors will not have 850MHz capable handsets (except for perhaps high end smart phones like the iPhone and Galaxy II).
I would have thought the global roaming biz would be quite profitable for carriers.
Vodafone lunched there 850MHz network 🙂 “U850”
NextG will be able to deal with the extra load – less than 10% of Telstra 3G customers are using 2100MHz handsets.Â
All handsets support the 2100 MHz band. The question is whether their second supported band is the more standard 900 MHz or the mostly-U.S. 850 MHz.
HTC sensation is on Telstra and is 4g ready.
That’s not real 4G…….. Stupid American Carriers and their false advertising. Then again Telstra weren’t much better.
Thank god, my Desire always jumps on it for no reason…And hopefully LTE will be rolled out in time and many high data users will move over to it due to the speed. It shouldn’t cause too much of a problem.