Telstra to bring exclusive 5G devices to its customers first

Today Telstra announced it has partnered with some of the world’s leading 5G smartphone manufacturers for exclusive or first to market deals.

Telstra’s Chief Executive Officer Andrew Penn said these exclusive device partnership arrangements will ensure Telstra customers have access to 5G handsets before any other Australian mobile operator when they are released in the first half of 2019.

Speaking at Mobile World Congress, Mr Penn said “Telstra is 5G-ready now. When we began rolling out 5G technology across Australia back in August, we also started working closely with the major mobile brands and leading manufacturers of 5G handsets. This was so Telstra customers would not only be the first to access to 5G smartphones but also have a variety of products to choose from”.

Over the recent days, Telstra has made a series of 5G device announcements:

– Samsung Galaxy S10 5G: Last week, Telstra announced the Galaxy S10 5G, with its 6.7″ screen, bigger, faster-charging battery and an all-new camera experience, will be available first through Telstra when the smartphone is launched in Australia. Plus, Telstra customers who purchase a Samsung S10+ through Telstra will be able to upgrade to the 5G-capable Galaxy S10 5G at no extra cost when it is released.

– LG V50 ThinQ: Today, Telstra announced the 5G LG V50 ThinQ mobile handset, with its innovative design, 6.4″ OLED display and long lasting 4000 mAh battery, will be available exclusively from Telstra when it launches in Australia.

– Oppo: Yesterday OPPO announced its global 5G partnerships and Telstra can today announce that customers will have access to OPPO’s first 5G handset when it launches in Australia.

This follows Telstra’s demonstration in December of the HTC 5G Hub mobile smart device, which was built in collaboration with Telstra and is expected to be available exclusively for its customers in the coming months.

Over the last six months, Telstra has switched on 5G technology across selected areas of Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Launceston, the Gold Coast and Toowoomba – making Australia’s largest and fastest* mobile network the first in the country to be 5G-ready.

“There are two key components to bringing 5G to life – you need the network technology and you need compatible devices. Our network has been ready for some time, and we’re now even closer to having 5G-compatible devices available for our customers.

“Traffic on our mobile network has continued to soar by around 40% year-on-year, which is why we are focussed on delivering a superior 5G mobile service to our customers first and foremost, and in high demand areas,” said Mr Penn.

Telstra’s 5G rollout aims to bring the technology to areas where it matters most to our customers, especially when they are out and about. Its current footprint focusing on CBDs and selected regional centres that over 4 million people live, work or pass through every day.

“Throughout 2019, we will be extending our 5G footprint even further to cover more cities, selected regional areas and traffic hotspots, ensuring even more Australians can access Telstra’s leading 5G technology,” said Mr Penn.

5G is a key element of Telstra’s T22 strategy, which is underpinned by its aim to have the largest, fastest, safest, smartest and most reliable next generation network.

*Based on national average mobile speeds

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