Optus launches second LTE network

Optus last week switched on a TD-LTE network in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide, to run alongside its existing FD-LTE network.

The network was launched by Assistant Victorian Treasurer and Minister for Technology, The Hon Gordon Rich-Phillips at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne.

With the launch, Optus has become the first Australian mobile service provider to deploy two 4G technologies simultaneously.

The network, which Optus has named 4G Plus, operates on the 2300 MHz band. Optus’s existing LTE network uses 1800 MHz spectrum.

Co-developed and championed by China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, TD-LTE uses the same frequency for upload and download of data at different times.

This time division duplexing differs from FDD (frequency division duplexing) LTE, which uses different channels for upload and download.

Optus Vice President for Regulatory and Corporate Affairs David Epstein said running two 4G technologies will allow the company to accommodate more 4G customers.

“We’re effectively adding more lanes to the Optus 4G superhighway, letting more people use our 4G network at the same time,” he said. “More lanes on the highway can help ease congestion for data-hungry consumers.”

Customers will need compatible 4G devices and data plans to make use of the new network. Newer smartphones such as Samsung’s Galaxy S4 are compatible with both modes of 4G and can switch between the two networks.

Image courtesy of James Cridland under CC