Telstra : signs first customer and launches the Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell to bridge coverage gap

Telstra signs first customer and launches the Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell to bridge coverage gap

Telstra has today launched the Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell offering, a new solution to help people living and working in some of Australia's most remote places purchase their own coverage extension of the Telstra 4GX mobile service.

And the first customer is already on board, with a heads of agreement in place with Queensland's Winton Shire Council to install two Satellite Small Cells to improve coverage at a tourism hotspot and a remote town.

The Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell is a smaller, lower cost version of a standard mobile base station, giving customers access to Telstra's 4GX-lite service which delivers most of the benefits of our 4GX service including voice calls, text, email, browsing and basic data.

Mike Wright, Group Managing Director Networks said the Satellite Small Cell was an exciting new option for communities and businesses looking to get access to mobile coverage and overcome the challenges of providing mobile coverage to very remote locations.

'We want all Australians to have the opportunity to connect to our mobile network so they can embrace the benefits mobile coverage brings. We know this is a particular frustration for many businesses and communities in regional areas who want to use the innovative technology on offer to grow their businesses or connect their people,' said Mr Wright.

The Satellite Small Cell has been built with a flexible design so that it can meet the varied needs of these remote communities, benefiting various customers from rural farmers and mining companies to local councils who want to bring mobile coverage to new areas. 4GX-lite can support voice, email, messaging, social media posts, browsing and basic data, although due to constraints with the satellite backhaul it is not intended to support data heavy applications, like high definition video streaming or video calling and conferencing.

'We offer options, such as Yagi antennas and the Telstra Go Repeater, for customers in regional areas looking to extend coverage, but until now there hasn't been many options for people looking for coverage where none exists nearby. The Satellite Smart Cell helps solve that problem,' said Mr Wright.

'For example, a local council may want to bring mobile coverage to a particular remote tourist attraction to help boost visitor numbers through social media posts, whilst an agricultural business may want to enhance worker safety by giving people the ability to connect with each other if issues arise. The Satellite Small Cell reduces the cost of gaining access to new coverage from hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new base station to tens of thousands, making it a realistic proposition in these circumstances.

'We've been running satellite cells for many years and have conducted successful trials of this innovative solution over the last 12 months at five sites. We'll have a total of 16 Telstra trial sites on air by July,' said Mr Wright.

Telstra aims to deliver up to 500 Satellite Small Cells over the next three years, and is discussing the opportunity to deploy this technology with a number of organisations and customers.

Winton Shire Council Mayor, Cr Gavin Baskett, said the Satellite Small Cell solution is innovative in its approach in that it provides people with the ability to identify where they need mobile coverage and then to work with Telstra to deliver it.

'It's given us more control. We'll be using the Satellite Small Cell to bring coverage to some parts of the Winton shire for the first time and to help grow tourism in the area,' said Cr Gavin Baskett. 'We're a remote area, driven by rural industry and tourism - all industries where mobile coverage can provide so much in terms of innovation, connectivity and safety. We look forward to getting our two Satellite Small Cells installed and operational so we can connect our people.'

The Satellite Small Cell is funded by co-contributions from Telstra and the customer, where the customer pays an initial amount to cover the cost of installation and Telstra builds and maintains the small cell.

'The Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell is a way to bridge the gap between what customers want and what is financially viable. This solution gives consumers, businesses and local councils more control over where they can get mobile coverage, making them part of the decision making process.

'We'll continue to look for innovative ways to expand our network across the country so that all Australians can have access to the latest technology and stay connected to the things they love,' said Mr Wright.

The Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell can be installed in most areas of Australia beyond the reach of our existing coverage footprint. Telstra will visit the customer to discuss their needs and the best location for the small cell.

The launch of the Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell builds on Telstra's successful contribution to improving coverage for all Australians and provides a useful complement to the Federal Government's Mobile Black Spot Program, which has so far seen mobile coverage extended to more than 170,000 square kilometres of country Australia.

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Telstra 4GX-lite Mobile Satellite Small Cell facts

• This product is only available where there is no existing Telstra mobile coverage

• It is suited to small rural and remote communities such as tourism hotspots, remote roadhouses, mines and centres of agri-business.

• The small cell will be on a standalone platform or attached to an existing building on the customer's land, provided by the customer at no cost to Telstra

• In most cases, the customer will provide mains power for the small cell at no on-going cost to Telstra (single 10 amp circuit required). Options can be tailored to meet the customer's budget.

• Telstra provides and installs all the necessary equipment, with the cost of installation payable by the customer.

• Coverage is provided via Telstra's 4GX 700 MHz band.

• Voice calls will require compatible 4GX devices

Telstra Media contact: Matthew Wu

Email: [e-mail]

Media reference number: 065/2018

About Telstra

Telstra is a leading telecommunications and information services company. We offer a full range of services and compete in all telecommunications markets in Australia, operating the largest mobile and Wi-Fi networks. Globally, we provide end-to-end solutions including managed network services, global connectivity, cloud,voice, colocation, conferencing and satellite solutions. We have licenses in Asia, Europe and the United States and offer access to more than 2,000 points of presence across the globe. For more information visit http://www.telstra.com/