Telstra launches new phone generation

TELSTRA’S new NextGTM 3G mobile phone network is being touted as the future for Australia’s phone network. Launched last week, it will allow mobile phone users to video conference, have high-speed internet access on their phone, or for their computer, and is planned to allow for live television to be streamed to mobile phone users subscribed to the network.
But while Telstra’s version of a 3G network will unify markets previously divided by the suburban GSM and country CDMA networks, and even increase coverage, it will come at the cost of the CDMA network’s death.
Telstra will phase out CDMA coverage by promoting the 3G technology and eventually closing the CDMA network in 2008.
Due to Telstra’s presence in the mobile phone market, the Telco believes its 3GSM network will be geographically superior to its rivals, including early-adopter Hutchinson Telecom which kicked-off Australia’s first 3G network in 2003.
Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo said the 3G network would also be a solution to providing regional internet access with speeds up to 1.5mpbs, or comparable to Telstra’s fastest ADSL broadband speed.
But Ericsson CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg, whose company is providing the technology driving Telstra’s 3G network, said he expected speeds to reach a whopping 40mbps by 2009.
Mr Trujillo said the mobile service would integrate the Sensis information service which includes directory assistance, Whitepages phone directories, as well as other Telstra services.
“We have created a unique ‘My Place’ menu to give our customers easy, one-click access to nine services and applications that are most relevant to them,” he said.
“With a simple one-touch, one-click our customers can access Foxtel pay-television, Sensis search, BigPond content, music, email, photos, downloads, maps and account information.”