Telecom NZ upgrading 3G network

December 11, 2006

High-speed Internet access for New Zealanders advances with Telecom's launch of enhancements to its mobile broadband service.

The $15 million upgrade of Telecom's 3G mobile broadband services begins in Auckland, and is the latest phase of Telecom's network development to ensure customers have the best fixed-line and mobile broadband.

"This enhanced service represents the best available mobile broadband in the world," says Chief Operating Officer, Business, Simon Moutter.

New Zealand customers are among the first in the world to have access to the "revision a" upgrade to the EV-DO network technology which powers Telecom's Mobile Broadband service. It will offer 10-15 percent faster download speeds and a 500 percent increase in upload speeds for sending media and other data-heavy files from mobiles, PDAs and notebooks. Average download speeds of 800Kbps and upload speeds of 300Kbps are expected.

The revision a enhancement to Telecom's network follows Telecom's introduction of the first 3G Mobile Broadband network in New Zealand in 2004 and the subsequent roll-out to all main towns and cities in 2005.

"This is an exciting step forward on our investment path to offer world-class mobility opportunities for New Zealand businesses, and prepares us for the exciting applications and services that fixed-mobile convergence will soon be bringing to New Zealanders at work, at home and on the move," Mr Moutter says.

The extensive upgrade of Mobile Broadband will be available to users in Auckland's CBD from today and continues across the country over the course of next year.

Telecom's entire 3G network is scheduled to be upgraded by December 2007, making enhanced Mobile Broadband services available in over 70 percent of the places New Zealanders live, work and play. When outside of areas upgraded to rev a, customers will still have access to Telecom's existing nationwide mobile data network.

"Substantially increased upload speeds with Mobile Broadband rev a is a particular bonus for business users," he says.

"The enhanced speeds up and down, together with lower latency, mean business people can be much more productive when they're on the move - not just checking emails and downloading files much faster but also sending information and working on material situated on company networks.

"Overall it will give a better quality of service, and readies our mobile data network for increasingly advanced applications."