The carrier today announced the extension of its Wireless Hotspots service to provide street-level, outdoor Wi-Fi Internet coverage across the CBDs. Customers would experience typical download speeds of 1 megabit/second.
The service -- facilitated by the installation of Wi-Fi equipment on Microlites -- the GSM/AMPS repeaters on light poles and other CBD infrastructure -- complements an existing six-month trial involving delivery of wireless broadband services via the pay telephone network.
Telstra's group managing director Ted Pretty said Telstra's research group was currently working with the engineering team to come up with a solution that would enable the telco giant to deliver a widespread wireless network based on the public payphone environment.
The expansion plans complement the existing Wireless Hotspot network, which already encompasses a range of outlets such as Starbucks stores and Qanatas Club lounges. Discussing the development at a wireless conference today, Pretty said: "One of the challenges we looked at was how to provide that wireless ubiquity across CBDs. So what we've been doing is reusing our existing cellular infrastructure, in particular our GSM, to provide low cost blanket Wi Fi coverage in the CBD to supplement [the carrier's EvDO (Evolution Data Only) network]," Pretty said.
Based on a report by analysts International Data Corp, Pretty also said Telstra was expecting around 10 percent of the Australian population to be accessing wireless broadband from their homes by 2010.
Most wireless technology, Pretty believes, will be available very soon around the world. However, Pretty said the only limitation in Australia would be the spectrum allocation.
"The Australian government has made sure from time to time that companies like ourselves do not beat that certain spectrum. It is a sound competitive principle but over time we have to make sure that the spectrum that is made available to others is actively used because it is scarce," he said.
