With Optus’s announcement that over the next year it will begin to offer Australia’s first multi-band 4G network, it seems that someone has finally beaten Telstra to the punch.

For a long time, Telstra have been the heavyweight across the board of the telecommunications industry. With a significant head start on mobile, ADSL, and cable networks, they’ve been able to control much of the market and keep the rest of the industry chasing after them. But with the advance of the National Broadband Network (NBN) and a swathe of recent announcements from major competitor Optus, it may be possible that Telstra is finally going to fall from its perch.

The unveiling of Optus’s latest stats in this new announcement is pretty impressive. Optus’s 3G network - still the most commonly used mobile connection in Australia - now covers 98 percent of the population, and by mid-2014 they hope to have their new 4G network reaching over 70 percent of the population.

The new multi-band 4G network will allow customers for the first time to access data uploads and downloads at the same time, making 4G less an exciting new novelty for its speed and more an everyday practical tool. While Australian 4G networks currently run on FD-LTE, which uses two separate frequency channels (one for uploads, one for downloads), the new Optus network will use TD-LTE, where the upload and download of data happens on the same frequency at different times.

Optus’s Vice President of Mobile Engineering, Andrew Smith said: ”Optus will be the first Australian carrier to take its network to the next level with a combined TD/FD-LTE 4G network. Our aim is to exapnd coverage for both types of 4G in the coming year to reach over 70 per cent of the metro population by mid-2014. As part of our national rollout this coming year, many new mobile sites and upgrades across metro locations will have the combined 4G technologies of TD-LTE and FD-LTE, allowing customers with compatible devices access to Optus’s superfast 4G in more places.”

The pilot stage of this new 4G network is expected to start rolling out sometime this year in Canberra. Optus’s existing 4G network is already available in five state capitals, along with a collection of major regional centres including the Gold Coast, Coffs Harbour, and Byron Bay.

Optus plans currently offer some of the best and most affordable mobile phone plans for Australian customers with a variety of needs.

Particularly of note are Optus $2 Days - unlimited calls, texts, and 3G data on their prepaid $2 days. Call Optus now on 1300 137 897 for more information!