Telstra announced today that it had switched on its commercial GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network and become the first network in Australia able to demonstrate live end-to-end GPRS data calls, at more than double the speed available on GSM (24 kilobits per second compared to 9.6 kilobits).
In the near future, Telstra will move to 48 kilobits per second and to 80 kilobits early in 2001. The higher speeds are possible with GPRS using multi-slot technology and new advanced coding schemes.
Telstra today demonstrated on its GPRS network Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and web browsing (HTML) access to telstra.com. This included some prototype new application possibilities enabled by 'on-line all the time capability' such as constant real time stock updates and reading email as it arrives.
Telstra announced it would commence customer trials on its commercial GPRS network this month.
GPRS uses a packet based data protocol rather than today's GSM circuit switched data. It will improve application responsiveness and enable faster data transfer rates so Telstra MobileNet customers can have instant access to the Internet anywhere, anytime from their mobile.
Telstra's OnAir Group Managing Director, Mr Dick Simpson, said today's demonstrations mark a significant acceleration of the convergence of wireless and Internet technologies.
"Ericsson and Nortel Networks have been awarded contracts to design and supply GPRS and GSM infrastructure. This decision leverages the strengths of two world leading suppliers to deliver the best result for our customers," Mr Simpson said.
"The two partners have the expertise to ensure Telstra is first to market and by using both we have lowered the costs for infrastructure supply which is a major win that can ultimately be passed on to our customers," Mr Simpson said.
Telstra is also partnering with a number of handset and appliance suppliers to ensure its customers have an exciting range of devices and applications.
"GPRS offers customers a substantially faster and more cost-efficient service with access to interactive information services such as telstra.com.
"GPRS will provide the foundation for a new range of innovative services including real time access by being on-line all the time and only paying for how much data is used rather than the time taken to complete the task.
"The provision of the GPRS service is further evidence of the investment Telstra is making to ensure its mobile phone customers take full advantage of the multimedia and data rich world of the future," Mr Simpson said.
Telstra has been upgrading its base stations over the last two years to support GPRS and established a GPRS dedicated team to develop the product.
Telstra commenced trial of GPRS in December 1999 and were the first in Australia to make live GPRS and WAP calls. Since then a GPRS trial service has been available in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
