Optus this morning announced a $315 million plan to extend its mobile network to cover 98% of the Australian population by the end of 2009.
The network currently sits at 96% coverage.
When announcing the network extension, Optus CEO Paul O’Sullivan took a dig at Telstra, saying that post-extension Optus will be the only telco “capable of challenging the incumbent’s network reach”.
“The extended Optus network will bring choice and value to people who have been limited to the incumbent’s network for too long,” he said.
The extension will comprise at least 750 new base stations, the telco said, covering an extra 400,000 square kilometres.
It will be based on high speed packet access (HSPA) wireless broadband technology, and will reach Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia, Tumby in South Australia and Weipa in northern Queensland.
