Optus expands its TD-LTE network, calls it 4G Plus

After launching its TD-LTE network in Canberra earlier this year, Optus has dubbed the new network 4G Plus and expanded it into parts of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Optus is currently the only Australian telco offering a TD-LTE network alongside the more widely used FD-LTE technology.

Optus' TD-LTE uses the same frequency (2300MHz spectrum band) for uploads and downloads, though at separate times. Alternatively, Optus' FD-LTE technology uses two separate frequency channels on the 1800MHz band for uploads and downloads.

"We're effectively adding more lanes to the Optus 4G super highway, letting more people use our 4G network at the same time," said David Epstein, Optus' vice president of regulatory and corporate affairs.

"More lanes on the highway can help ease congestion for data hungry consumers."

Optus will also be looking to incorporate the 2500MHz band and 700MHz band, bought during the Digital Dividend auction, into its 4G networks when it becomes available for use in 2015.

"This strategy of combining 4G technologies – low-band 4G frequency for strong coverage, high-band spectrum to increase network capacity – gives Optus flexibility to meet our customers' need for additional capacity and faster network speeds," said Andrew Smith, Optus' vice president of mobile engineering.

Dual-Optus

Optus has previously said that it will continue to expand both its FD-LTE and TD-LTE networks and will stock more dual-band devices that can switch between the two 4G network bands as they become available.

Soon after it launched its TD-LTE network in Canberra, it made available two dual-band modems. The Samsung Galaxy S4 mini dual-band variant was also recently made available to Optus customers.

Optus announced that it will also have the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C dual-band variants from September 20.

While Optus has said that it will offer the dual-band Samsung Galaxy S4, no date has been given for availability, but it has announced that the long-awaited LG G2 will be available in November.

• Want to know more about the 4G networks in Australia?