Telstra announces 4G with USB modem, super fast 40Mbps download speed

After playing with Vivid’s 4G technology last week, we were ready for some more fourth-generation action… and now we have it. Telstra has launched a new high speed 4G LTE mobile network, offering speeds “up to ten times faster than 3G speeds currently claimed” by competitors.

“Today marks a new high-speed chapter in Australian mobile telecommunications,” said David Thodey, Telstra’s CEO. “Telstra’s 4G network delivers mobile speeds scarcely imagined a decade ago, making it easier for people to connect with the things they need and love when on the move.”

A new modem released this week can pull download speeds ranging from 2Mbps to 40Mbps in LTE enabled regions, including the CBD’s of Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Darwin, Hobart, Adelaide, and Perth. Upload speeds also improve, with between 1Mbps and 10Mbps on offer depending on where you are.

Not every part of Australia will yield the new high speeds, with most cities grabbing download speeds of between 1.1Mbps and 20Mbps, and regional areas fetching the slightly slower 550kbps to 8Mbps. At their peak speeds, these connections are  faster than the fixed connections Australians have right now.

Telstra has provided a map of where the access for the new 4G connection is, available in the gallery above.

We’ve also got the new modem unboxed in our gallery, available on 24 month plans for both business and consumer customers.