TELUS announced that in March they will be releasing their first 42.2 Mbps device, the Sierra AC319 internet stick. The next device to follow this one is the Huawei e372 internet stick (sometime in Q1 2011). No word on price points for either of these products.
Yesterday at an event we attended we captured a video of their new 42.2 Mbps capable network. Gives a good indication of what’s possible. The areas that this will go live is the Vancouver area, Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Whistler, Camrose, Winnipeg and the greater Toronto area.
According to the internal doc it shows that “TELUS will retire the use of the term 3G+ for its devices going forward. The first devices designed to take full advantage of TELUS’ 4G network were mobile internet keys. To maintain consistency with the ITU standards, TELUS will refer to these devices as 4G devices. TELUS will also deploy a set of 4G Smartphones in 2011”. In addition, Eros Spadotto, EVP of Technology Strategy at TELUS stated they will also be releasing between 5 and 10 new “4G” smartphones in 2011.
Here’s how the ITU classifies “4G”: “It is recognized that [4G], while undefined, may also be applied to the forerunners of these technologies, LTE and WiMax, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed”.
