Telstra sets its sights on 5G launch in 2019

While the devices that launch here in Barcelona are shiny and feature rich, they are nothing without the mobile networks they connect to. It’s those networks that dominate the show floor at Mobile World Congress and today Telstra sat side by side with their network partners to re-affirm their commitment to 5G as our next big step forward.

While this next advanced network has been discussed for some time (many years), it’s now almost a reality with 2019 slated as the timeframe for Telstra’s Australian launch in a number of major cities and regional centres across Australia.

This doesn’t come cheap, Chief Operating Office Robyn Denholm outlining the $5 billion investment over three years leading up to next June “5G will help deliver the next industrial revolution, unlocking opportunities across industries and markets and we want to ensure Australians are among the first in the world to gain access to it,” Ms Denholm said.

“5G will be a critical building block in economic competitiveness for the nation, so we are planning our
network rollout to give as many customers as possible access to 5G technology as soon as possible.

Telstra are at pains to point out that a network like this does not just turn on with the flick of a switch.

The company’s planning for 5G has been underway for years. Here’s their own timeline of activities leading up to the launch next year.

2016

Networks for the Future program begins with approximately $1.5 billion of additional
investment above business as usual in Telstra’s network over three years to 30 June
2019
Telstra conducts Australia’s first 5G field trial with Ericsson in Melbourne

2017

Launch of Telstra’s gigabit-capable 4G service and rollout in CBDs and other high traffic
locations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Telstra’s 4G coverage footprint passes 99% of the Australian population
Telstra and Ericsson conduct the world’s first 5G outdoor data call over 26GHz
‘mmWave’ radiofrequency spectrum
Optical transport technology rolled out in transmission network connecting Sydney,
Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth
Milestone passed of 90% of Telstra customers with double the original speeds of 4G

2018

Launch of the Telstra 5G Innovation Centre on the Gold Coast and Australia first test of
5G in a moving vehicle
Demonstration of 2 Gbps enabled 4G with Qualcomm and Ericsson
Planned rollout of 2Gbps enabled 4G to select high traffic locations**
Planned deployment of more than 1,000 small cells to enhance capacity in metro areas*
4G and 5G integration trials with Ericsson, Intel and Qualcomm, including first
interoperability testing the new 5G Non Stand-Alone Radio (NSA) standard
Ongoing trials and collaboration with vendor and industry partners at the new 5G
Innovation Centre on the Gold Coast
Global standard setting body, 3GPPS, meeting on the Gold Coast to consider 5G
commercial standards

2019