Introduction
LTE has quickly gone from a pipedream to an everyday feature in Australia.
Roughly 18 months since Telstra flicked the switch, Optus has rolled out its own 4G network, while Vodafone's LTE coverage will arrive in June this year.
But what exactly is 4G? How do you get it? How is it different between networks? And is it worth the money? This is TechRadar's ultimate guide to 4G in Australia.
What is 4G?
Simply put, 4G stands for 4th generation. It's the fourth major technology in mobile telecommunications, and delivers faster data speeds than the 3G technologies it's replacing.
Confusingly, 4G can refer to two different technologies - WiMax and LTE. In Australia though, it's almost exclusively used to refer to LTE, or what's known as Long Term Evolution.
Australia did have a WiMax operator in the form of Vividwireless, right up until the point they were bought out by Optus in early 2012. Optus plans on using the spectrum gained through the acquisition to enhance its own LTE network, meaning that WiMax is, for all intends and purposes, obsolete in Australia.
Like previous generations of mobile technology 4G LTE works across a number of different frequencies depending on where you are in the world. In Australia, the current LTE networks use the 1800MHz spectrum.
When Apple launched the new iPad and claimed it offered 4G, it was only available on the 700MHz and 2100MHz spectrums. Because no Australian carrier offers those frequencies for LTE, the ACCC took Apple to task, forcing them to change the name to "Wi-Fi + Cellular".
Telstra 4G
Australia's largest telco was the first to jump on the LTE train, launching its first services in October 2011.
Initially only available to customers who purchased 4G dongles on 24 month contracts, the network immediately impressed pundits across the country for its speed.
The Telstra LTE network uses the 1800MHz spectrum. Previously, this network was used to transmit 2G services, but with the rise of 3G-enabled devices, demand for 2G dropped enough that Telstra was able to repurpose the network for 4G.
That said, earlier this year Telstra announced it would expand its LTE network using the 900MHz frequency for greater regional coverage.
Telstra claims its LTE network delivers download speeds between 2Mbps and 40Mbps, while upload speeds between 1Mbps and 10Mbps. In the real world, those lofty numbers will elude you, although we've regularly experienced speeds upwards of 20Mbps.
In Perth, where Telstra has access to a bit more spectrum, Telstra plans on rolling out 20MHz services that promise even faster speeds later in 2013.
Perhaps the most surprising part of Telstra's 4G rollout is the fact that it doesn't charge any extra for the service. If you have a 4G-enabled device that supports the 1800MHz spectrum for LTE, you will automatically connect when you hit the coverage area.
Speaking of coverage, Telstra makes a big deal out of the fact its LTE network already hits 40 per cent of the population. It's also announced plans to expand that to about 66 per cent by the middle of 2013.
That said, Telstra isn't looking to retire NextG just yet, the the HSPA+ network still delivering high speed services to 99 per cent of the population.
Getting connected
Telstra offers a couple of dongle options for connecting PCs and wireless devices to its 4G network. There's a USB dongle, and a wireless dongle, which takes the LTE signal and converts it to a wireless hotspot for multiple devices to connect to.
Telstra also offers a collection of 4G-nabled handsets to purchase on a contract or outright. In addition to the much-publicised iPhone 5, Telstra also sells a 4G version of the Samsung Galaxy S3, the HTC One, Sony Xperia Z, BlackBerry Z10, Nokia Lumia 920 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Telstra has announced that it has already got over 1.5 million LTE-enabled devices connected to its network. That number is set to grow as more and more 4G networks hit Australia over the coming 12 months.
Optus 4G
Optus has been driving excitement for its 4G network for a while, previewing a demo of an LTE network to media early in 2011. It was only in early September of 2012 that Optus officially opened its LTE network for business, despite months of trials earlier in the year.
The footprint of Optus' 4G network at launch was significantly smaller than Telstra's, only available in Sydney, Perth and Newcastle. Two weeks later, Optus added Melbourne to that list, before later expanding to Brisbane, Adelaide and the Gold Coast.
Optus doesn't offer a theoretical minimum or maximum speed from its LTE network, but testing shows it easily as well as Telstra's network, if not better. That could have a lot to do with fewer users being signed up to the LTE network though.
Using Optus 4G
As the Optus 4G network has expanded, so too has the number of devices available to use it.
Apple's iPhone 5 is Optus LTE compatible, and the network is also offering a 4G version of the Samsung Galaxy S3.
They've also got 4G handsets like the Galaxy Note II and the HTC One SV, Nokia Lumia 820, and the BlackBerry Z10, HTC One and Sony Xperia Z.
Other than that, it's just a USB or wireless dongle for connecting your computing devices to the network.
One area that Optus does boast a big advantage over its competitors is in the extra spectrum it acquired as part of Vividwireless. The telco began rolling out a TD-LTE network across Canberra in May, with plans to expand it throughout the country. The new network promises theoretical speeds of over 200Mbps and practical download speeds between 25Mbps and 87Mbps.
The TD-LTE network runs on the 2.3GHz spectrum, while the rest of the network currently runs on the 1800Mhz spectrum, requiring dual-band devices.
Vodafone, Virgin mobile and other 4G
It's been a rough couple of years for Vodafone, but the mobile operator is hoping that the next 12 months will see it bounce back. A big part of that is the launch of its LTE network.
For a long time, Vodafone has kept quiet on its plans for 4G, even going so far as to say it was waiting for the right time to launch the network, despite rolling out 4G equipment to its network towers since the start of 2011.
Of course, that dormant equipment has done little to change the network's fortunes, so it's no surprise that Vodafone has put a time frame on its LTE rollout. Voda's 4G network will be switched on for consumers in June 2013.
Like Telstra and Optus, Vodafone is planning on using the 1800MHz spectrum for its LTE network. The advantage of this frequency for Vodafone is that it has a lot of it, courtesy of its merger with Hutchison's Three network in 2009.
In an interview on with Alan Kohler from the ABC's Inside Business program, Vodafone boss Bill Morrow confirmed that the network has about 30Mhz of spectrum in the 1800MHz band it can use for 4G.
During a recent speed test using up just 20MHz of spectrum, LTE versions of the SGS3 and HTC One were able to get download speeds around the 100Mbps mark, although admittedly without any network congestion.
Because it hasn't launched yet, Vodafone hasn't announced any 4G products yet, although the iPhone 5 will undoubtedly work on the network. As Vodafone rolls out the network, expect to see more in the handset department.
What other options are there?
Richard Branson's Australian mobile network, Virgin Mobile, has also started offering 4G services. Because Virgin Mobile just packages up Optus's network and sticks its own plans over the top, it is naturally limited to Optus' network coverage map.
Similarly, iiNet has announced its plans using the Optus wholesale 4G network. But while Virgin is offering the Samsung Galaxy S3 4G handset - plus the iPhone 5 - iiNet is currently sticking to mobile data in the form of a USB and wireless dongle.
Other MVNOs have joined the 3G party as well, with Vaya offering 4G plans using Optus' network, while Exetel made headlines by charging a 4G premium
The 700MHz Digital Dividend spectrum
In April 2013, the government will be auctioning off a chunk of spectrum from the 700MHz and the 2500MHz ranges. This spectrum will become available following the shut down of the Australian analogue television networks at the end of 2014.
Wireless spectrum is pretty hard to come by, so there's plenty of interest in this, especially from telcos looking to beef up their LTE networks.
The Digital Dividend spectrum, as it is known, offers the mobile carriers a vehicle in which they can not only expand their current wireless offerings, but also keep up with the rapid consumption of data that having a 4G network provides.
It's expected that the amount of data consumed over mobile networks will rise by 300 per cent between now and the end of 2014. Making sure there's enough bandwidth for customers is one of the biggest challenges faced by mobile network operators, and this extra spectrum will go a long way to solving those problems.
Both Telstra and Optus have publicly stated their interest in the auction, although interestingly Vodafone CEO Bill Morrow has said that his network will take a look, but probably won't bother bidding given the high prices the spectrum is expected to reach.
Naturally, TechRadar will be following developments in the Digital Dividend Spectrum auction closely, so stay tuned for more.
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