Telstra launches 5G-powered Wi-Fi hotspots
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Australia’s Telstra has launched what it says are the first 5G-enabled Wi-Fi hotspots in the world as part of its ongoing evaluation of 5G technology.
The new hotspots on the Gold Coast in Queensland will provide locals and visitors with access to free broadband services during the evaluation period. The open hotspots will provide up to 10GB of downloads per device per day.
They will be managed by Telstra’s recently-launched 5G innovation center on the Gold Coast. Telstra has connected 5G backhaul and related infrastructure in the Southport Exchange in the city to allow connections to the 5G network over Wi-Fi on existing devices.
“Wi-Fi has limited throughput so a single hotspot alone cannot come close to reaching the limits of 5G at our Innovation Center,” Telstra group managing director for networks Mike Wright said.
“By using multiple hotspots with potentially hundreds of smartphone users served through a single 5G device we are able to get closer to demonstrating 5G in a real world environment. Our 5G backhaul is capable of delivering download speeds of more than 3 Gbps.”
Telstra is also using its new 5G innovation center to power a connected car trial using the Intel 5G Automotive Trial Platform.
Wright said the trial is in the very early stages of development but the company is still achieving download speeds approaching 1Gbps inside the car, which is also equipped with a Wi-Fi access point.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the purpose of Telstra's new 5G-enabled Wi-Fi hotspots?
What is the purpose of Telstra's new 5G-enabled Wi-Fi hotspots?
The hotspots are part of Telstra’s ongoing evaluation of 5G technology. They provide free broadband services to locals and visitors during this evaluation period, demonstrating 5G in a real-world environment.
Q.Where are these new 5G-powered Wi-Fi hotspots located?
Where are these new 5G-powered Wi-Fi hotspots located?
The new 5G-enabled Wi-Fi hotspots have been launched on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. They are managed by Telstra's recently-launched 5G innovation center in the same city.
Q.What is the daily data limit for devices using the new Wi-Fi hotspots?
What is the daily data limit for devices using the new Wi-Fi hotspots?
The open hotspots will provide users with up to 10GB of downloads per device per day. This is available during the evaluation period for locals and visitors on the Gold Coast.