Optus expands 4G to Brisbane, Gold Coast

By David Flynn, October 31 2012

Optus is boosting the range of its burgeoning 4G network to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, ahead of a more extensive rollout across the December-January period.

The telco says it's already flicked the switch on four base stations at Surfers Paradise, centred around Cavill.

Next week will see five 4G towers go live around the Brisbane CBD: Optus tells Australian Business Traveller those sites are CBD North, CBD East, CBD South, North Quay and Alice & George Streets.

“2012 has seen Optus undertake one of the largest ever network programmes for our customers, with the completion of large scale 3G network enhancements and the launch of 4G services in Newcastle, Sydney, Perth and Melbourne.”

“We have managed to accelerate network rollout to deliver Optus 4G to select areas of the Gold Coast and Brisbane nearly six months ahead of schedule, with more sites to come online before the end of the year” said Günther Ottendorfer, Optus' Managing Director of Networks.

Optus fired up its 4G network in September in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, and promises that Adelaide and Wollongong will join the 4G party “over the next 12 months”.

Early reports of 4G speeds have been staggering, with averages of a rocketing 30+Mbps for downloads and top speeds nearing 50bps, alongside 20Mbps for uploads – although this rapid clip should of course taper off as Optus signs up more users to the nascent network.

Read: Sydney 4G Speed Test (The Sydney Morning Herald)

For more 4G details and pricing, click through to optus.com.au/4G.

And as we reported last week, there's more good news for travellers on the Gold Coast: Qantas has returned to Coolangatta with three daily flights to Sydney plus a new Qantas Club lounge in the works, while the airport will soon open an express lane through security for business class passengers and top-tier frequent flyers.

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