Perth will be home to the country's fastest wireless broadband service early next year as the Seven Network commits $50 million towards the rollout of the 4G network.
Perth will be home to the country's fastest wireless broadband service early next year as the Seven Network commits $50 million towards the rollout of the 4G network.
Seven said its wholly owned subsidiary Vividwireless planned to establish a fourth generation wireless broadband network in Perth by March next year.
The 4G network would deliver the best wireless broadband in Australia by using the latest standard in technology, it said.
Perth was chosen as Vividwireless' launch location due to its rapid growth and current under-service by broadband infrastructure.
Former Telstra executive director of marketing Martin Mercer has been appointed Vividwireless chief execuitve.
Seven Network director Ryan Stokes is Vividwireless chairman.
"The wide application of services allows Seven Network Ltd to further strengthen its digital platform connecting broadband users to the internet and burgeoning multi-media solutions," Mr Stokes said in a statement.
Seven chief executive Kerry Stokes said the 4G network would deliver a laptop user average speeds of four megabits per second (mbps) and a peak speed of 20mbps, up to 10 times faster than existing 3G networks.
Vividwireless will be supported in its rollout by Unwired, also owned by Seven, and products and services company Huawei.
Seven shares were down seven cents, or 1.1 per cent, to $6.29 at 1400 AEST.
The announcement is below:
VIVIDWIRELESS - a Seven Network Limited company - today released details of its plans to build Australia's only 4G wireless broadband network.
The company announced the country's fastest wireless broadband service will be rolled out to consumers in Perth in March 2010.
Former Executive Director of Marketing for Telstra's consumer business, Mr Martin Mercer, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of VIVIDWIRELESS.
Mr Ryan Stokes, Chairman of VIVIDWIRELESS, said "We are committed to delivering the world's most sophisticated wireless broadband service to Perth's people and businesses.
"VIVIDWIRELESS has access to the largest allocation of 4G spectrum in metropolitan Australia, this will be focused on providing customers the best wireless broadband service in Australia. The wide application of services allows Seven Network Limited to further strengthen its digital platform connecting broadband users to the internet and burgeoning multi-media solutions", he added.
4G (4th generation technology) is the latest standard in wireless technology supporting high speed broadband and full mobility. 4G provides a comprehensive and secure solution where services, such as data, streamed multimedia and voice are provided to users at much higher speeds compared with previous generations of 2G & 3G.
The Executive Chairman of Seven Network Limited, Mr Kerry Stokes, said: "We believe in 4G, as it provides an infrastructure and the ability to deliver new and competing telecommunications, data and content services to all Australians.
"We are proud to deliver VIVIDWIRELESS'S first service to Perth and have committed approximately $50 million in funding to its rollout across the city", he said.
Mr Stokes added that the appointment of seasoned telecommunications executive Martin Mercer, was indicative of Seven's commitment to VIVIDWIRELESS and 4G's importance to telecommunications.
Mr Mercer has broad telecommunications experience as a senior executive in both the retail and wholesale divisions of Telstra over the last 10 years.
Mr Mercer said "I am confident that the combination of our world leading technology with Seven's deep understanding of and commitment to the Perth market will enable us to capture significant share in the rapidly growing wireless broadband market.
"We know that broadband customers have an insatiable appetite for speed and a growing need to access the internet wherever and whenever they want. Our network will satisfy this need for speed delivering customer speeds up to 10 times faster than currently delivered by 3G networks at prices that are equivalent to fixed line services.
"Customers using our service on a laptop, for example, will enjoy average speeds of +4Mbps and peak speeds in excess of 20mbps - which is up to 10 times faster than those delivered by the existing 3G networks. In addition, we will offer a range of state-of-the art devices that support a premium customer experience", he added.
VIVIDWIRELESS' plans for consumers are straightforward and transparent with no tricky 'tie-you-down' terms and conditions and price points that position the business to win in both the rapidly growing mobile broadband market and the traditional fixed broadband space.
The company is launching in Perth because it is a rapidly growing market with strong economic fundamentals, as well as being a market currently under-served by broadband infrastructure.
VIVIDWIRELESS's local staff in Perth will provide call centre and other services to look after the local customer requirements.
Following a rigorous tender process VIVIDWIRELESS has selected Huawei, the world's top 4G hardware vendor, as its network equipment supplier. Agreements are also in place with other key partners - including Unwired (another Seven Group company) who will build and operate the network for VIVIDWIRELESS.
