Telstra to start LTE trials in May

Telstra has announced that it will start Australian trials of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in May, to assess its capability and performance as the next generation evolution for the Next G" network.

Telstra will spend the next three to six months testing the feasibility and technical capability of LTE for future commercialisation and will draw on three of the most prominent providers of the mobile technology industry for the tests, including its long standing network partner, Ericsson. Joining the testing ranks will be Huawei and Nokia Siemens Networks.

The Telstra tests will seek to understand a variety of LTE's attributes including radio access characteristics, coverage, performance, signal propagation and various enhanced packet core features. As a reflection of Telstra's track record and commitment to serving rural Australia, the testing will comprise not only urban but also rural evaluations of LTE in addition to extensive laboratory trials.

The results of the Australian tests will be complemented by the experience of Telstra's subsidiary company CSL in Hong Kong, where ZTE equipment is being put through its paces. The collective information gathered through these trials will be used to guide planning and design of Telstra's future Next G network evolution.