Telstra is putting $100 million behind building a public WiFi network that would give customers and non-customers access to fast broadband outside of the home.
Customers will be able to tap into their own home-broadband allowance on the move and overseas at no extra cost. The five-year investment would see Telstra connect two million broadband hotspots across Australia.
The network was unveiled today by Telstra chief executive David Thodey at an event at the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art. The network was flagged by The Australian yesterday.
The telco says it is entering a “new era of connectivity” and wants to increase connectivity for people in the home and work and in retail, leisure and sports areas. It claims the WiFi network will be one of the largest in the world.
It is slated to launch in 2015 and grow over the next five years connecting with overseas networks and 12 million international hotspots in partnership with global WiFi provider Fon. Thodey said the network would help meet current data needs and allow for future capacity, as data and WiFi use is expected to continue growing rapidly.
“Australians already have access to one of the world’s leading mobile networks offering fast, unparalleled coverage on the move," he said. "Telstra’s new WiFi network will broaden the choice of connection giving people a convenient way to get online using their portable devices when spending time at a hotspot. It will offer our customers the unique option to seamlessly use their home broadband allowance inside and outside the home.”
Telsta customers can register to access their home broadband allowance via hotspots in exchange for sharing bandwidth with other customers and will have seamless access via compatible devices.
Hot spots will be available in community and social areas, shopping streets, business centers and transport hubs. It will work with small businesses to put hotspots in cafes and waiting rooms and with local councils to put WiFi in public buildings.
“We want Australia to be a truly connected country and as part of our plan, we are keen to work in partnership with local councils and enterprises to grow our Wi-Fi network in Australia’s largest cities and regional centres," Thodey said.
“The opportunities go beyond connecting people. The city-wide availability of WiFi coupled with the growth in the internet of things can help us improve the way we live in cities. Town planning, sustainability, traffic management, maintenance, public safety and the provision of government services are just some of the challenges that can be tackled by connecting sensors and objects with networks. This is an incredible opportunity and we are already in discussions with a number of councils to make smart cities a reality.”
More than 20 million devices connect to the mobile internet in Australia, and Telstra wants to connect to the next 20 million.
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