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It may be called the Land Down Under, but when it comes to 5G tech, Australia has come out on top. The sixth biggest country in the world can now also claim to being the first to roll out 5G compatible Wi-Fi hotspots (an idea that Verizon Wireless and AT&T are also exploring). This is made possible through the efforts of Aussie wireless service provider Telstra, which recently installed the hotspots at its 5G Innovation Centre located in the South Port district of Gold Coast City in Queensland.
This latest development represents, without any doubt, some pretty exciting news for any tech enthusiast anywhere in the world, but it needs to be said that no Australian consumer will be enjoying 5G connection speeds just yet. This is mainly because as far as we know, no Aussie bloke owns a 5G capable mobile device yet.
According to Telstra, its 5G network already boasts the capability to delivers connection speeds of up to 3 gbps (gigabits per second). However, it needs to be clarified that for now, the end users who connect to its 5G Wi-Fi hotspots will only be enjoying about 100 mbps (megabits per second) speeds. Still, 100 mbps is nothing to scoff at, especially when one considers the fact it is generated by a public Wi-Fi hotspot.
It goes without saying that things will become even more fast and amazing when we get to the real 5G era. Of course, we are not quite there yet. But mobile operators across the globe sure are racing towards that inevitable finish. Unavoidably, consumers around the world will have to do some catching up, and that will depend mightily on today’s phone and chip makers.
But things are not that simple, unfortunately. Mobile manufacturers themselves have to do some waiting before regulators can establish a 5G standard. But there is some significant progress -- in September later this year, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) will be holding a conference in the same Australian city where Telstra has set up its 5G Wi-Fi hotspots. The hope is that by that time, the 3GPP may be able to decide on a standard for 5G ready mobile devices.
Meanwhile, Telstra is making the most of its time in order to continue exploring 5G technology. Apart from activating its 5G Wi-Fi hotspots in South Port, the wireless carrier also demoed Australia’s first ever 5G connected car, with the help of Ericsson and Intel. So far, the connected car has managed download speeds of 1 gbps (inside the vehicle), and even possesses a Wi-Fi access point.
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