CSL, the Hong Kong mobile unit of Telstra, yesterday moved to make its 4G network faster by switching on additional LTE spectrum.
The operator also announced that it will soon launch a new 4G device that will give customers a maximum download speed of 150Mbps.
The mobile operator said it now provides 2 x 20MHz bandwidth in the 2600-MHz LTE frequency band, with the addition of the 5MHz extended spectrum.
The company is also beefing up its 4G network to expand the 1800-MHz bandwidth in use from 10 MHz to 15MHz in June, and to 20MHz by end of the year.
CEO Phil Mottram said the network expansion is a result of more than HK$1 billion ($129 million) CSL had invested on network development and innovation since last year.
“This network enhancement with extended spectrum yet again sets us apart from the competition," Mottram said.
Coupled with the network expansion, CSL also unveiled a category 4 (CAT4) LTE pocket WiFi device and started accepting pre-orders on Wednesday.
The device, which is the first CAT 4 device in the city, will be available for CSL customers next month, with two different monthly plans – HK$ 299/ month for 7GB data usage or HK$307/month for 10GB usage.
CSL said the increase in network capacity is aimed at providing its LTE customers with a more consistent and reliable mobile experience, allowing them to use bandwidth-demanding applications like interactive online gaming and download large files for business and entertainment.
CAT4 devices are capable of 150Mbps download speeds, compared with existing LTE devices under category 3 which peak at 100Mbps.
Mottram said he expects more CAT4 devices, including smartphones, to be available in the market in the second half of this year.