21 March 2012 – Australians in 4G coverage areas will be able to enjoy ultra-fast mobile internet on their Wi-Fi enabled laptops, tablets and smartphones with Telstra today announcing the nation’s first 4G LTE mobile Wi-Fi.
The battery-powered Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G (now available to business customers) and the BigPond Mobile Wi-Fi 4G (which launches for personal use next Tuesday 27 March) can share an ultra-fast Telstra 4G LTE network connection with up to five devices simultaneously making it possible for customers to enjoy the performance benefits of 4G mobile broadband on their existing Wi-Fi enabled gadgets.
Anthea Roberts, Director, Telstra Mobile, said a surge in tablet and smartphone ownership meant Australians were increasingly turning to fast mobile broadband connectivity to get the most out of their devices on the go.
“Australians now take a range of Wi-Fi enabled devices with them when they’re outside the home and office and for many of our customers the Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi is the 4G product they’ve been waiting for. It gives them the chance to bring Australia’s fastest mobile internet speed to their existing tablets, laptops, portable games consoles and smartphones.
“The introduction of the Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G also means more people can take advantage of the improved web responsiveness available on 4G which makes real-time applications like video conferencing, internet gaming and cloud-hosted streaming services work better with less buffering and fewer interruptions,” Ms Roberts said.
Customers using the Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G in 4G coverage areas (capital city CBDs, associated airports and more than 80 regional and metropolitan locations) can access typical download speeds ranging from 2Mbps to 40Mbps and typical upload speeds from 1Mbps to 10Mbps. When outside 4G coverage areas the Mobile Wi-Fi 4G uses HSPA+ Dual Channel technology to serve up Australia’s fastest 3G speeds. Customers can enjoy super-fast 3G download speeds ranging from 1.1Mbps-20Mbps in all capital CBDs and much of the associated metropolitan areas and many regional locations. Outside of these areas the device transitions to Telstra’s fastest available 3G speeds.
“Personal users are going to love using the BigPond Mobile Wi-Fi 4G to access high bandwidth content such as video and music on multiple devices simultaneously. It’s the perfect way to get people and devices connected on family trips or when commuting to work. Businesses will be able to use the Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G to take their own fast network with them on customer visits or to temporary work locations and keep workers productive by connecting them to email, business applications and work files,” Ms Roberts added.
The Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G sports a sleek black design and a large LED display which provides useful information such as Wi-Fi name and password, signal strength, number of devices connected and battery level at a glance. It supports Wi-Fi standard N connectivity for advanced Wi-Fi throughput and range. It includes a handy audio alert that lets owners know when devices connect and disconnect from the Wi-Fi network, while a web-based control portal allows for the adjustment of network security and Wi-Fi range settings from an internet browser.
The Mobile Wi-Fi 4G is the second LTE mobile broadband product from Telstra to be developed in collaboration with Sierra Wireless and follows the launch last September of the Telstra USB 4G – Australia’s first 4G LTE mobile broadband modem.
Key features of the BigPond Mobile Wi-Fi 4G and the Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G:
• Allows customers to connect up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices to ultra-fast internet.
• 4G speeds and Australia’s fastest 3G speeds in selected areas.
• Compact and lightweight design weighing in at a mere 100 grams.
• Up to four hours’ battery life, 100 hours standby.
• Works with any Wi-Fi enabled device.
Pricing:
The BigPond Mobile Wi-Fi 4G available to consumer customers launches on 27 March and can be purchased for personal use on a range of 24 month plans – including $59.95 per months for 24 months with 8GB of included data each month to use in Australia plus $49 upfront (min cost $1,487.80).
The Telstra Mobile Wi-Fi 4G available to business customers is now available and can be purchased by business customers on a range of plans including $0 upfront on the $49.95 Telstra Mobile Broadband Standard Plan over 24 months (min total cost $1198.80) with 8GB of included data each month to use in Australia. For more information visit www.telstra.com/business/mobilewifi4G.