Telstra and Huawei Announce LTE Demo at 1800MHz

Wireless carrier Telstra and telecommunications solutions provider Huawei Technologies have just announced the demonstration of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology operating on 1800MHz spectrum, the first such milestone to be achieved in Australia. The 1800MHz spectrum is currently being used for the delivery of GSM services all around the world, and is also seen as an integral part of the world standards for LTE technology.

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is one of the 4G that standards carriers and handset vendors around the globe are committed to, in addition to WiMAX. As operators kick off deployments of LTC networks, the 1800MHz spectrum is expected to complement the 2600MHz spectrum, as well as the 700MHz band, which should be made available via the digital dividend.

According to Michael Rocca, Telstra chief operations officer, one of the main advantages in exploring LTE's performance over various bands is that more deployment options are created, which should result in the best outcome for both carriers and end-users. “Our trials with Huawei are giving us valuable insights into the potential of LTE technology at 1800MHz and helping Telstra understand how we can make best use of both existing and potential future spectrum assets to continue to deliver a world class mobile broadband service,” he stated.

Telstra and Huawei are currently working together on trials of LTE technology in Victoria. The wireless services provides states that these trials are expected to offer it the possibility to better understand the characteristics of the solution, as well as the manner in which it can be used for upgrading its HSPA network.

“The 1800MHz evaluation will include tests of throughput using MIMO antenna configurations as well as several features including Inter Cell Interference Coordination to reduce radio network interference and improve throughput, and Self Organising Networks where LTE network technology automatically optimizes its performance, reducing operating costs while improving customer service,” the company stated.