Telstra Checks Out LTE

Telstra Corp. Ltd. (ASX: TLS; NZK: TLS) will start its Australian Long Term Evolution (LTE) trials in May this year, working with three vendors for up to six months to check out the next-generation mobile technology's capabilities. (See Telstra Talks LTE Trials.)

In addition to its main mobile infrastructure partner, Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC), which has provided the technology for the carrier's current "Next G" mobile network, Telstra is working on its LTE trials with Nokia Networks and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. All three are members of the LTE G8. (See MWC 2010: The LTE G8.)

Both Huawei and Nokia Siemens say they are providing Telstra with radio access network (RAN) and evolved packet core (EPC) technology for a trial in Victoria.

The carrier plans to compare the results of its trial with that of its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hong Kong CSL Ltd. , which is working with Chinese vendor ZTE Corp. (Shenzhen: 000063; Hong Kong: 0763) on its LTE trials.

Telstra will be in no rush to deploy LTE, though. It's already upgraded its HSPA+ network to 42 Mbit/s using dual-carrier technology (with devices available later this year), and is planning to double its maximum downlink speed to 84 Mbit/s in 2011 with the addition of MIMO antenna technology to its radio access network.

Telstra joins a host of other Asia/Pacific carriers that are checking out LTE's potential to meet wireless broadband demands. (See StarHub Leads in Singapore Dual Carrier Race, M1 Trials LTE With NSN, CSL Touts LTE Developments, AlcaLu Joins China Mobile LTE Trial, APAC Operators Commit to LTE, KDDI Picks Challengers for LTE Deployment, China Mobile Fast-Tracks TD-LTE , and DoCoMo Shells Out on LTE.)

— Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, Light Reading