VANCOUVER – Using state-of-the-art HSPA+ Dual Cell technology, Telus announced Tuesday it will increase its 3G+ wireless data network access speeds to up to 42 Mbps when commercial deployment is complete in Canadian cities and towns.
Telus says it is the only North American carrier to have successfully tested HSPA+ Dual Cell technology in its wireless labs and to announce deployment in its commercial network. However, the company did not set out a timeline for deployment when making the announcement, but noted devices that can take advantage of the network’s new capabilities aren’t coming until next year.
HSPA+ Dual Cell technology uses advanced multiplexing techniques to combine two wireless data carriers, operating at manufacturer-rated speeds of up to 21 Mbps each, into a single carrier with manufacturer-rated downlink speeds up to 42 Mbps. New HSPA+ Dual Cell compatible devices that will allow customers to take advantage of the new network capabilities are expected to be commercially available during the first quarter of 2011, according to the Telus release.
Telus is one of only a few carriers in the world to announce HSPA+ Dual Cell deployment. Telstra in Australia is the only operator known to have deployed this capability in its network. The deployment of Dual Cell is consistent with Telus’ evolution towards Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, as the company continues to maximize the potential of HSPA+ as an interim step and ensure the most optimal future transition to LTE, says the press release.
Laboratory testing of the Telus HSPA+ Dual Cell technology was completed in Telus’ Canadian laboratories in early July.
By leveraging the investment Telus has already made in its 3G+ network, the company is able to support the deployment of Dual Cell technology with a small investment that is well within Telus’ overall capital expenditure guidance for 2010.
