Telstra have today announced they have completed upgrades and enhancements to their mobile network, bringing 4G to 99 percent of Australia, while also preparing for an influx of support required for Internet of Things devices.
Telstra COO Robyn Denholm describes these upgrades as enablers for consumers “With the boom in smart devices, video streaming and cloud computing, we are forecasting that over the next five years we will have five times the traffic on our network, four times the devices, and a growing range of ever more complex applications. This investment is about ensuring we have the capacity and technological capabilities in place to meet these demands,”
“These latest developments in coverage and capability are key milestones in our program to invest up to an additional $1.5 billion over three years in building Networks for the Future, on top of the billions we invest each year to build and operate Australia’s largest set of networks.”
As part of their upgrade, the transmission network which forms the backbone of the mobile network is also being upgraded, including double the capacity on the undersea cables reaching Tasmania.
Cat M1 has been enabled on the 4GX coverage sites (not the entire 99 percent) which is built to support Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
This network allows smaller low cost devices like sensors and monitors to work in places like buildings while accessing the Telstra Network.
While it’s not entirely relatable, or sexy, this “Narrowband IoT” technology is a huge growth area for all the Telcos.
