3G turns on new generation
HIGH-speed wireless broadband internet is now available in any area with mobile phone reception after Telstra switched on their new 3G network, Next G, last Friday.
Wireless broadband is one new benefit of the Next G network which Telstra said is the world’s largest national ‘third generation’ network, reaching 98 per cent of Australia’s population.
For towns such as Ilfracombe that have been denied ADSL broadband internet access, the option of wireless broadband is a welcome advancement.
"We’ve been jumping up and down trying to get ADSL broadband for a while now and if the wireless broadband works it will be just what we need here," Deputy CEO of Ilfracombe Shire Council Wes Irwin said.
However with mobile phone reception outside of towns extremely patchy at best, the new technology may be of no benefit to the majority of people living on the land.
According to Telstra’s Area General Manager for Central West Queensland, Jeff Little, the Next G network will offer the same coverage as CDMA and, as yet, there are no plans to provide additional coverage.
"As the Next G platform develops we are expecting some improvements in reception coverage but we are not promising anything at this stage.
"What we can guarantee is that it will be the same or better than CDMA coverage."
For the people living within Barcoo Shire, this may be of little solace.
According to the Council’s Corporate Service Officer, Jon Underwood, the entire shire remains without mobile phone reception aside from a small patch outside the Stonehenge pub.
"We’ve been trying to get mobile coverage out here for a long time now," Mr Underwood said.
"It’s been extremely frustrating because it’s a service that people expect to use in every other part of Australia and it just seems that we don’t have the same rights.
"Looking through the visitors’ book at the Windorah Information Centre, 90 per cent comment or complain about how they don’t get mobile reception here."
In areas with no CDMA coverage and no access to ADSL, dial-up and satellite internet connections will remain their only options.
The Next G wireless broadband will offer download speeds up to 50 times faster than dial up, averaging 550 kilobytes per second to 1.5Mbps, with peak speeds expected to reach 14.4Mbps early next year.
While more expensive than ADSL internet service, Mr Little said wireless broadband will be favourable to satellite in both speed and cost.
With the CDMA network being switched off in 2008, the Next G network will certainly transform how mobiles are used in the bush.
"Next G gives city and country customers access to the same national network and services," Mr Little spruiked.
"All of the things that were only available in metro areas are now available in the bush; turbo charged wireless broadband, video calling services and access to internet and Foxtel on your mobile phone."
A 3G network provides the ability to simultaneously transfer voice data, such as a telephone call, and non-voice data, such as photos, emails and instant messaging. As 3G networks do not operate on the same frequency range as 2G networks - such as that used by CDMA technology - entirely new networks need to be constructed and new frequencies assigned to mobile operators.
Wireless broadband is one new benefit of the Next G network which Telstra said is the world’s largest national ‘third generation’ network, reaching 98 per cent of Australia’s population.
For towns such as Ilfracombe that have been denied ADSL broadband internet access, the option of wireless broadband is a welcome advancement.
"We’ve been jumping up and down trying to get ADSL broadband for a while now and if the wireless broadband works it will be just what we need here," Deputy CEO of Ilfracombe Shire Council Wes Irwin said.
However with mobile phone reception outside of towns extremely patchy at best, the new technology may be of no benefit to the majority of people living on the land.
According to Telstra’s Area General Manager for Central West Queensland, Jeff Little, the Next G network will offer the same coverage as CDMA and, as yet, there are no plans to provide additional coverage.
"As the Next G platform develops we are expecting some improvements in reception coverage but we are not promising anything at this stage.
"What we can guarantee is that it will be the same or better than CDMA coverage."
For the people living within Barcoo Shire, this may be of little solace.
According to the Council’s Corporate Service Officer, Jon Underwood, the entire shire remains without mobile phone reception aside from a small patch outside the Stonehenge pub.
"We’ve been trying to get mobile coverage out here for a long time now," Mr Underwood said.
"It’s been extremely frustrating because it’s a service that people expect to use in every other part of Australia and it just seems that we don’t have the same rights.
"Looking through the visitors’ book at the Windorah Information Centre, 90 per cent comment or complain about how they don’t get mobile reception here."
In areas with no CDMA coverage and no access to ADSL, dial-up and satellite internet connections will remain their only options.
The Next G wireless broadband will offer download speeds up to 50 times faster than dial up, averaging 550 kilobytes per second to 1.5Mbps, with peak speeds expected to reach 14.4Mbps early next year.
While more expensive than ADSL internet service, Mr Little said wireless broadband will be favourable to satellite in both speed and cost.
With the CDMA network being switched off in 2008, the Next G network will certainly transform how mobiles are used in the bush.
"Next G gives city and country customers access to the same national network and services," Mr Little spruiked.
"All of the things that were only available in metro areas are now available in the bush; turbo charged wireless broadband, video calling services and access to internet and Foxtel on your mobile phone."
A 3G network provides the ability to simultaneously transfer voice data, such as a telephone call, and non-voice data, such as photos, emails and instant messaging. As 3G networks do not operate on the same frequency range as 2G networks - such as that used by CDMA technology - entirely new networks need to be constructed and new frequencies assigned to mobile operators.
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