Like their existing HSPA+ network isn’t already one of the fastest in the world, Telstra is preparing to begin LTE trials in May to “assess its capability and performance as the next generation evolution for the Next G network.”
The Australian company will spend the next three to six months testing the feasibility and technical capability of LTE for future commercialization and will draw on Ericsson (Telstra’s long standing network partner), Huawei and Nokia Siemens Networks.
The goal is to understand a variety of LTE’s attributes including radio access characteristics, coverage, performance, signal propagation and various enhanced packet core features. In that sense, testing will comprise not only urban but also rural evaluations of LTE in addition to extensive laboratory trials.
The results of the 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.
[Via: Telstra]