Telstra has become the world’s first network carrier to cross the 1Gbps download speed mark on a 4G network, taking another step towards a 5G future.
The telco, along with Netgear, the leading provider of networking devices, announced the launch of a commercial Gigabit LTE network and a new device at the ‘Gigabit LTE Experience’ event in Sydney yesterday.
The service will be available in select state capital CBDs, with other locales to follow, delivering blitzing speeds for users to access their favourite media and business-related data, improving accessibility to high-quality video streaming and mobile VR experiences.
Over the speed limit
The gadget that will help Telstra get there is Netgear’s Nighthawk M1 router, a portable 4G router featuring a Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 LTE chipset. Its ultrafast 1000Mbps download speed (and upload speed of 150Mbps) is achieved by using four-band carrier aggregation (employing four out of five of Telstra’s frequencies).
The router also has a built-in Ethernet port, two USB ports (Type A and Type C), 4×4 Multiple-Input Multiple Output (MIMO) 802.11ac and dual-band 2.4GHz/5GHz dual concurrent Wi-Fi that supports up to 20 connected devices, reducing interference and increasing network performance.
Netgear claims the router has a 24-hour battery life with continuous use and can charge smartphones and USB devices via its ‘JumpBoost’ feature.
A speedy release
The router doesn’t need any software installation – just plug it in and connect within minutes. A Netgear smartphone app lets users control the device, including setting up parental controls, monitoring data use and managing network settings.
The Nighthawk M1 will be available to Australian customers in late February 2017 through Telstra, either in store or online, and will cost $360 upfront or will be available through a range of monthly plans.
Going forward, the Nighthawk M1 will also be able to support Netgear’s Arlo security system as a base station for the wireless, battery-powered cameras.
- On the other hand, if you’re looking to increase your home’s Wi-Fi connectivity to better your gaming or streaming experience, there are some excellent wireless routers available to help you with that.