Australia Receives Worlds Fastest Broadband Network

Last week Telstra cancelled at short notice, media launch of a new broadband product telling attendees that – “With the understandably intense media and public focus on the election outcome, we’ve decided to postpone this event for approximately two weeks.”

The event was held today, and the upshot is that ‘more Australians’ (not ‘all’), can get even faster broadband. Telstra has launched a new dual channel USB Card and have up-dated their NextG Wireless Broadband Network in all capital cities, and over 100 regional locations. The result – fast, wireless Internet access of which a federal politician could argue is national broadband. I noticed that towns like Mt Isa, Armidale and Port Macquarie, which are all in the independent seats won at the recent election, will have this new technology too.

It’s fast, I just ran a speed test from on the train, down in the train station and speedtest.net rated it at just over 10 megabits.  Testing at the Tesltra launch showed just under 30 megabits! That sounds great I know, but few Aussies hang out at Telstra’s 400 George Street offices.

These speeds are the fastest data through put speed I have experienced on my laptop (when it was not plugged in to the wall).

Here are some other details:
*Wireless speed 32 megabits bursts – 1.1 to 20 megabits speed standard.
*All capital cities, 5km from the cbd. Plus city hubs in places like Parramatta.
*100 regional centers, over 50% of the population will have access to the speed.
* Cost – from $69 a month for 6 gigabytes (uploads and downloads) on a 24 month contract (includes the USB modem)

Australia just got better broadband, and it will be roling out through out the remainder of the year as Telstra start spreading the word.

As mentioned, the electorates of the three independent politicians debating the future of government of our country were not left out, but here are the other locations that will receive this ultrafast broadband.

UP-DATE –
After spending some time playing around with the new service I have had a mixed level of results, however I am not complaining. While travelling on the train through North Sydney station, I received 9 megabit speed. While on the train over the Sydney Harbour bridge, 14 megabit speed. In the tunnel between North Sydney and Waverton (where other telco broadband services drop out), I experienced 4 megabit speeds. While using the service in Chatswood, 12 megabit speeds. I’ll keep trying out the service around sydney and logging my results. However, I will say I have never seen internet data speed results like this before, ever. Not on wireless internet speeds anyway.  

Greater Adelaide
Adelaide Domestic and International Airports, Cheltenham, Elisabeth, Gawler, Glenelg (CBD), Port Adelaide, Queenstown, Smithfield, Stirling Shopping Centre – Westfield Marion, Oaklands Park Westlakes (incl Stadium) and Westlakes shore

Greater Brisbane
Amberley RAAF base, ANZ (formerly) Stadium, Caboolture (CBD), Eagle Farm Domestic Airport, Eagle Farm International Airport, Eagle Farm/Doomben Racecourse, Enoggera Army Barracks, Heavy Industrial Areas – Lytton, Pinkenba, Myrtletown, Bulwear Island, Ipswich (CBD), Queensland Tennis Centre, Redland Bay (CBD)

Great Melbourne
Avalon Airport, Bayswater, Braeside, Camberwell, Campbellfield, Shopping Centre – Dandenong Plaza, Dandenong, Deakin Uni – Burwood campus, Shopping Centre – Knox Shopping Centre, Wantirna, Malvern, Melton, Shopping Centre – Eastland, Ringwood, Shopping Centre – Waverley Gardens, Mulgrave, Shopping Centre – Westfield Airport West, Airport West, Sunbury, Tullamarine Airport, Werribee (CBD), Shopping Centre – Westfield Southland, Cheltenham

Greater Darwin
Airport, Casuarina, Palmerston

Greater Sydney
Bondi Beach, Camden, Chatswood (CBD), Epping, Gosford (CBD), Liverpool (CBD), Maquarie Park, Narellan (CBD), Olympic Park/Stadium’s area, Parramatta (incl. Rosehill Racecourse), Penrith (CBD), Picton , Richmond (CBD), Richmond RAAF Base, Sydney Domestic and International Airport – Mascot, Windsor (CBD)

Greater Perth
Armadale, Fremantle, Joondalup, Mandurah (CBD), Northam, Perth Domestic And International Airports, Pinjarra, Rockingham (CBD)

Greater Canberra
Airport, Curtin, Fisher, Spence, Waramanga

Greater Hobart
Cygnet, Dodges Ferry, Hobart Airport, Kingston, Shopping Centre – Eastlands, Rosny, Shopping Centre – Northgate, Glenorchy, Sorell, Tranmere

Regional Upgrades

NSW
Albury/Wodonga (Albury CBD), Armidale (CBD), Bathurst, Coffs (CBD), Dubbo, Forster, Gilgandra, Goulburn, Gunnedah, Kempsey, Maitland (CBD), Newcastle (CBD), Lake Macquarie, Orange, Parkes, Peak Hill, Port Macquarie (CBD), Singleton, Wagga Wagga (CBD), Wollongong (CBD), Wyong (CBD)

VIC
Bairnsdale (CBD), Ballarat (CBD), Bendigo (CBD), Castlemaine, Echuca (CBD), Geelong (CBD), Horsham (CBD), Mildura (CBD), Morwell, Sale, Shepparton (CBD), Swan Hill, Traralgon, Wangaratta (CBD), Warrnambool (CBD)

SA
Clare, Mt Barker, Mt Gambier, Murray Bridge (CBD), Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Prominent Hill, Roxby Downs, Victor Harbor, Wallaroo, Kadina, Whyalla

TAS
Burnie, Bridport, Deloraine, Port Sorell, Launceston (CBD), Longford, St Helens, Ulverstone

NT
Alice Springs

QLD
Bowen, Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Southport, Nerang, Cooloongatta, Gympie, Hervey Bay, Mackay (CBD), Maryborough, Moranbah, Mt Isa, Nambour, Port Douglas, Rockhampton, Roma, Caloundra, Maroochydore, Noosa, Toowoomba (CBD), Townsville, Yeppoon

WA
Albany, Boddington,