Telstra and Ericsson achieve 5G mmWave and 4G LTE breakthroughs

28/02/2020

Commercial mmWave 5G is expected to launch in Australia in 2021 following the auction of related spectrum. Ericsson and Telstra have been working in close partnership to test the technology and prepare the network.

Ericsson is already partnering with Telstra in its existing commercial 5G network, operating on 3.5GHz mid-band spectrum. Roll out is underway in 32 cities with Telstra targeting 35 cities by mid-2020.

SUPERCHARGING 5G

Telstra CEO Andrew Penn says 5G on mmWave the highest spectrum bands will supercharge the technology with even faster speeds and lower latency. Penn says that more than 4 million Australians already pass through Telstra's 5G footprint and can access its benefits on any given day.

Ericsson, Telstra and Qualcomm Technologies recently successfully tested a live mobile base station in Telstra's commercial network on the 26GHz band.

The landmark achievement is part of Telstra's ambition to provide 5G mmWave connectivity on 26GHz to selected customers by mid-2020 on a trial basis under special licenses which allow pre-auction commercial traffic. The trials will be supported by the launch of a Telstra-branded mmWave enabled device. Telstra will announce the first mmWave locations in the coming months.

Not only will customers be able to enjoy trying out the benefits of mmWave in selected areas early, it means we will be on the front foot when spectrum is made available via the auction in 2021, Penn says.

Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, says: This announcement is an important step in realizing the benefits of mmWave spectrum for Australia and the world. With 5G live demonstrations on the 26GHz band now underway, this is a significant step in showcasing how mmWave can be scaled and integrated into a commercial mobile network.

RURAL LTE COVERAGE MILESTONE

Ericsson and Telstra have also partnered to extend the cell range capability reach on its commercial LTE network, which could see capabilities double from the current 100km 4G limit up to 200km.

The milestone was achieved through an Ericsson Radio System software upgrade at a Telstra site in New South Wales.

Telstra says the resulting capability could extend Telstras 4G cell range beyond the current 3GPP standards limit of 100km up to 200km delivering significant value for its customers in rural, regional, and offshore areas. The first commercial deployment is expected later in 2020 to be used in specific deployment scenarios.

Channa Seneviratne, Network Engineering Executive, Telstra, says: Effectively doubling the current 4G coverage range of a mobile base station is a huge win for regional and remote Australia. Telstra continually works with our partners like Ericsson to provide innovative solutions to our business and customer needs. This solution will be considered as an option in certain locations to ensure that our LTE network has the coverage and capacity needed now and into the future.

Emilio Romeo says: This latest milestone is a testament to our continued industry leadership in rural and regional areas.

LINK:	https://wcm-com.ericsson.net/en/news/2020/2/telstra-5g-mmwave-on-the-w...
	See more stories from ericsson

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

19/03/2026

How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games

How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games Chris Bolte '16 is a technical sound designer at Sucker Punch Productions, where he helps create the...

18/03/2026

Net Insight Names Larissa GrnerMeeus CPO

Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4. Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...

18/03/2026

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026: Select Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAY

SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...

18/03/2026

SVG's SportsTech@NABShow Blog Goes Live as Countdown to Vegas Heats Up

The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...

18/03/2026

The Premiere of Dead Lover Showcases Grave Robbing and Sex With a Giant Finger

(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...

18/03/2026

Music Row Piano from Wiltone Productions

Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...

18/03/2026

Techivation introduce T-Warmer Mk2

Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...

18/03/2026

Tonal Balance Control 3 from iZotope

Mix-reference plug-in overhauled iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...

18/03/2026

Toontrack Transistor Organ EKX

Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...

18/03/2026

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture

Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture 18 March, 2026 Media releases New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...

18/03/2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz at NAB 2026

Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...

18/03/2026

LCTWS 2026

London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...

18/03/2026

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...

18/03/2026

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...

18/03/2026