Australian mobile network operator Optus has claimed to now have more than 100 4G-enabled base stations in operation in across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. As previously noted by CommsUpdate, the cellco initially launched commercial Long Term Evolution (LTE) services for residential users in September 2012, with access to the 4G technology opened in Brisbane the following month. Subsequently, in December 2012 Optus said it aimed to boost the number of sites from 50 to 100 by the end of 2013. In outlining the progress of the network rollout, Guenther Ottendorfer, managing director at Optus Networks, noted that the company was running ahead of schedule. The executive meanwhile also noted that Optus has switched on four LTE-enabled sites in Adelaide, while confirming that it is preparing to launch its 4G products in Canberra, though it has not provided an exact date for the latter.
Further, Mr Ottendorfer has highlighted Optus’s continued work in the 3G arena, as well as its 4G developments, noting that it has now ‘completed major upgrades across the Sunshine and Gold Coasts to deliver an enhanced 3G experience for users with 3G 900MHz capable devices’.