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Antennas Boosts Rural NextG |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Friday, 09 November 2007 |
Making sure its subscribers can acces the Nextg 3G network ahead of the planned shutdown of its CDMA network, Telstra
has introduced another so-called Blue-Tick phone which it says will enable subscribers to take "even more advantage" of the network coverage.
Whether
rural callers can access the new network across the same footprint as
the soon-to-be-closed CDMA network has been a contentious issue with
the Federal Government threatening to stop the telco shutting down the
old network ifNextG can't be shown to offer the same service levels.
There's
been reports from the bush that the new network doesn't provide the
same service, but until an audit of the new network is completed the
argument is little more than 'he said,she said' and the reports of poor
service levels are little more than hearsay.
To
help regional subscribers choose a phone that will offer good levels of
service in remote areas where coverage might be patchy, Telstra has
introduce what it calls Blue Tick phones which it says are suitable for
use in these areas. Till now, there's only been on phone on that list -
the the
Nokia N95, which will be in stores from mid-November.
Now its added a new phone to the list , the Telstra 165 'Country
Phone'. Designed by ZTE Corporation in Shanghai, the big
advantage of the new handset is that it has a retractable antenna,
harking back to the early '90's mobile bricks.
Specs are a little light on the ground still, but here's a list of features from Telstra's website. Find the link at the bottom.
- Access email and mobile Internet at broadband speeds on the Next G network
- 2 megapixel camera
- 262k colour display
- Integrated MP3 player
- MP3 and polyphonic ringtones
- Up to 60MB user memory
- Expandable Memory microSD Card Slot
- USB and Bluetooth for connectivity
- Hands free speaker phone
- Video Calling
"The Country Phone is the first Next G handset with a pullout
antenna and it's built to meet the demands of Australia's tough outdoor
conditions. The handset's bigger design incorporates a large, easy to
use key pad to accommodate even the biggest of fingers and the phone is
protected in rubber casing, is dust proof, shock and liquid resistant,"
Telstra Country Wide Group Managing Director, Geoff Booth, said.
In a press statement Telstra Product Management Group Managing Director, Holly Kramer,
said while the Country Phone had a focus on utility, the Nokia N95 had
all the style and sophistication synonymous with one of the world's
leading handset brands.
"Incorporating advanced multimedia functionality and elegant design,
the Nokia N95 is the first Nokia handset to achieve Telstra's Blue Tick
for handheld use in rural areas," Ms Kramer said.
Both
new handsets offer easy 1-click advanced content and applications
including access to BigPond TV, 33 channels on Mobile FOXTEL, Sensis
search services plus an array of BigPond content such as the latest
news and weather reports, says the company.
The Telstra Country Phone
  
  
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