Tuesday 17 October 2017

Did You Know Telstra Launched a Super Fast HD Mobile Download Speed in Late February?

As you may or may not be aware, but near the start of 2017, Telstra tested and launched the world’s first mobile network that is able to download HD movies and TV shows in a matter of seconds. Say what? Did anyone else miss the memo on this? It seems many of us did.

Testing Phase

Before we get too ahead of ourselves on the matter and make our readers think this service will be available to everyone, it is important to understand that prior to February, theses network capabilities were only tested and shown to be reliable but not necessarily ready for an extremely high volume of users quite yet. While the news of this release was exciting at the time, it was only made available to part of Telstra’s network in selected cities. The rest of Australia will have to wait for the time being.

Telstra, together with Netgear, Ericsson, Qualcomm, successfully tested their LTE mobile capabilities and speed and announced in late January that the service was going to be released to Australian consumers at the end of February, 2017. The question is, did you know you that could now download your favorite TV show in a matter of seconds?

Like many, you’re probably wondering exactly how fast the mobile download speeds are. To illustrate, a one-hour long TV show can be downloaded in less than seconds. Incredibly fast, right? How about having the ability to download a 3GB HD movie in 3 minutes? Telstra began allowing customers access up to 1Gpbs of download speeds and up to 150Mbps of upload speeds over Telstra’s 4G network.

As a comparison, prior to offering these insanely fast speeds, the network only offered a maximum of 100Mbps, which at the time, was at about 10 percent of the network’s capabilities. One of the major reasons it has taken some time to be able to offer these high speeds was largely due to reliability. The capabilities were there but the network needed further testing in order to ensure it was reliable before making promises the network would not be able to deliver to consumers on a consistent basis.

Naturally, media and other industry members were impressed with what Telstra could do and looked forward to the release into Australia’s telco market.

How to Access Fast Download Speeds

Many people may be wondering if they can access their favorite TV show or movie to their handheld device using these high download speeds on their mobile network, and unfortunately not at the moment as this is basically for home use, for the time being anyway. Sine LTE stands for “Long Term Evolution”, the company and the industry does expect to see these capabilities being offered to mobile devices at a later time, but we are not quite there yet.

So, how and where can consumers take advantage of such fast download speeds? Through the use of a Nighthawk M1 device that used one SIM card that has the ability to connect to more than one 4G band. The device is pocket-sized and can connect up to 20 devices to the internet all at the same time. Basically, from wherever Telstra’s network can be accessed, users will be able to access the internet and enjoy super fast download speeds across multiple devices (up to 20 at the same time).

For $360 in upfront costs or through a range of plans, you and the entire family can connect your devices and enjoy unprecedented download speeds. Each family member can now enjoy their favorite TV shows or movies without having to fight over the remove or argue about what to watch.

The Ultimate Goal

One of the main reasons Telstra developed, improved, tested, and launched this service was largely due to the fact that the telco firm wanted to help prepare consumers for what will come in the near future of telco capabilities.

For example, the Telstra’s device management director released the following statement in reference to this, “It’s going help people further embrace a new breed of mobile applications and experiences including immersive virtual reality, connected cloud computing and rich entertainment, and it brings us one step closer to introducing 5G in Australia.”

The downside to all of this is (and was) the real-world experience was definitely going to operate much slower for a variety of reasons.

The Network Today

Fast forward to today (7-8 months after release), the 4G trend has definitely caught the attention of the industry with all other providers in Australia on board—Vodafone being the last to jump on the bandwagon.

The 4G network has been respectively packaged and sold as the 4GX or 4G Plus network and the latest smartphone releases were created with these capabilities in mind so they are ready and fully compatible for when the 4G network expands into more rural locations since a high percentage of smartphone users will have already made the switch to one of the latest releases.

Not much else has changed in terms of service coverage over the past few months as coverage areas are still quite limited and users must be in a designated 4GX coverage area in order to access the services. However, there is still more progress expected to be made in the coming months and years as the demand for faster download and upload speeds will only continue to increase and those not living within major city limits have been chomping at the the bit in order to have access to this service.

The great news for those in the Queensland is that the service is widely available, however, Telstra cannot guarantee that every single area or building will have anything outside or normal network services. Visiting one of the Telstra shops in Melbourne and the surrounding areas to inquire about the available services in your area will help consumers understand what they have access in their coverage area.

Conclusion

It is clear that the release of the 4GX/Plus network changed the market and has it prepared consumers for what will come next. With this in mind, it is also evident that telco in general still isn’t operating at the level industry leaders have hyped up consumers for. Time will only tell where the future of 4G and 5G networks end up, in which case, those of us who are still operating on 3G networks and capabilities will need to continue to remain patient as the more advanced network services we’re all waiting for eventually reach our areas, which is a telltale sign that companies are not ready for the network expansion just yet, but many hope that will soon change.

TelcoWorld Corp. - Known as Beltz's Mobile Phones & Repairs Moorabbin



source https://www.telcoworld.com.au/news-blog/telstra-shops-in-melbourne/

Wednesday 4 October 2017

Top 10 Smartphones of 2017

It’s that time of year again, the smartphone market starts to see the latest models and smartphone versions hit the shelves, or at the very least, we will see them advertised in preparation for a new and upcoming launch. With new versions being released all the time coupled with the amount of different manufacturers, deciding on which phone to buy is not always easy.

The question often is; do I even need to buy the latest smartphone version? Not necessarily, but if you want to be able to use your smartphone model’s latest features, an upgrade is essential. We wanted to help you decide on which model and version to buy, which is why we put this guide together for you. Check out which smartphones Australians loved this year in 2017, along with their features below.

  1. iPhone 8 Plus

The iPhone 8 was released earlier this year and proved to be the smartphone of all smartphones. Why? It mainly won over Australians (and the world) due to its performance and unprecedented battery life. It also has a dual camera system that kind of outdid the Galaxy Note’s camera because of its low-light camera system. However, in the end, the iPhone 8 plus certainly is a larger phone with even better features compared to other models.

Features and Specs:

  • 5 inch screen
  • 2 storage options – 64GB or 256GB
  • Weighs 202 grams
  • Apple A11 Processor
  • Dual 12MP rear camera
  • 7MP front camera
  • Battery – 2,691mAh
  • 1980 X 1080 for screen resolution
  1. Samsung Galaxy S8

The Galaxy S8 was the “it” smartphone right up until iPhone released its eighth generation. In terms of battery life and performance, Samsung’s Galaxy 8 is still up there, but Apple 8 Plus still outdoes Samsung. Samsung has come out with incredible screens, excellent battery life, and powerful performance. Aussies loved this phone, up until Apple’s recent releases. Don’t get us wrong, It’s still a great smartphone, but still lacks where Apple’s iPhone 8 makes up for that lack.

Features and Specs:

  • 8inch screen size
  • One storage option: 64GB
  • 152 grams
  • Exynos 8895 Processor
  • 12MP on the rear cam
  • 8MP on the front cam
  • Battery – 3,000mAh
  • 2960 x 1440 for screen revolution
  1. Sony’s Xperia XZ Premium

Many of this year’s smartphones have impressed the market, and Sony is not an exception to this either. It sits in third position and for good reason. It has a few great features not offered on the bigger smartphone name brands, such as their 960 fps slow motion camera, amazing speed, incredible battery life, and its ability to resist water damage. In comparison to Apple and Samsung’s latest releases, it is a bit on the bulky side, but excellent performance can be found in this phone.

Features and Specs:

  • 5 inch screen
  • One storage option: 64GB
  • 195 grams
  • SnapDragon 835
  • 19MP rear cam
  • 13MP front cam
  • 3,230mAh battery
  • 3840 x 2160 screen resolution
  1. Galaxy Note 8

It’s not surprise to see Samsung on this list again, however, what is surprising is that it’s the Galaxy version. As many faithful Galaxy users know, the Note 7 was a complete disaster but the Galaxy Note 8 has made up for where the Galaxy Note 7 lacked. The Note 8 is a overall great device with some excellent power and excellent battery life, but there’s not much else to report on overall features of this phone, but it’s still a great phone.

Features and Specs:

  • 3 inch screen
  • One storage option: 64 GB
  • 195 grams
  • Octo-Core Exynos 8995
  • Dual 12MP rear cam
  • 8MP Front cam
  • 3,300mAh battery
  • 2960 x 1440 screen resolution
  1. The HTC U11

HTC was once quite popular and now it seems to have risen in popularity once again with the U11. The Galaxy S8 may top it, this phone provides users with similar performance, a unique design, and a much cheaper price tag, making it an economical choice for budget conscious Australians.

Features and Specs:

  • 5 inch screen
  • One storage option: 64GB
  • 169 grams
  • SnapDragon 835 processor
  • 16MP rear cam
  • 12MP front cam
  • 3,000mAh battery
  • 2560 x 1440 screen resolution
  1. iPhone 8

Apple’s iPhone 8 may not be the iPhone 8 Plus, but it’s pretty close. It has a lot of the same features, performance power, and functionality, but still doesn’t quite add up. What made this phone make it on our list was the fact that the the engineers managed to create a phone with less of battery capacity while somehow maintaining a powerful performance. No, it doesn’t have a dual cam, but it is still an overall impressive device.

Features and Specs:

  • 7 inch screen
  • Two storage options: 64GB or 256GB
  • 148 grams
  • Apple A11 Bionic
  • 12MP rear cam
  • 7MP front cam
  • 1,821mAh battery
  • 1334 x 750 screen resolution
  1. OnePlus 5

OnePlus 5 is a new brand that recently launched its phone in Australia for an impressive price of $599. What makes the price so impressive is that the phone is packed full of power, features, and performance to a budget-conscious Aussies who are looking for comparable performance and features without the big name price tag.

Features and Specs:

  • 5 inch screen
  • Two storage options: 64GB and 128GB
  • 153 grams
  • Qualcomm SnapDragon 835 processor
  • 16MP/20MP rear cam
  • 16MP front cam
  • 3,300mAh battery
  • 1920 x 1080 screen resolution
  1. Galaxy S8 Plus 

The plus version of the Samsung S8 is almost identical to the smaller version. The main differences are the screen size and the battery life. The extra longevity in the battery life is pretty amazing but that’s about all the plus variant really offers with a price tag few are willing to pay, which is why it’s near the bottom of our list. The screen size is also much larger making the S8 an overall better choice in terms of size, price, batter life, and performance, unless of course you prefer larger phones.

Features and Specs:

  • 2 inch screen
  • One storage option: 64GB
  • 173 grams
  • Octa-core Exynos 8895 processor
  • 12MP rear cam
  • 8MP front cam
  • 3,500mAh
  • 2960 x 1440 screen resolution
  1. Huawei P10

Huawei isn’t a brand that is going away anytime soon and this version comes with an impressive battery life considering its size with excellent performance and features. Consumers looking for a great phone without spending a fortune one one will love the Huawei P10 smartphone.

Features and Specs:

  • 1 inch screen
  • One storage option: 64GB
  • 145 grams
  • Kirin 960 octa-core processor
  • Dual 20/12MP rear cam
  • 8MP front cam
  • 3,200mAh battery
  • 1920 x 1080 screen resolution
  1. The LG G6

LG’s G6 model has an incredible 18:9 display and still has its dual camera from the G5 version. Both the camera and processor alone are worth investing in this phone model, but don’t forget about its water resistance and excellent battery life features either! All round, this is impressive smartphone.

Features and Specs:

  • 7 inch screen
  • One storage option: 32GB
  • 163 grams
  • Qualcomm SnapDragon 821
  • Dual 13MP rear cam
  • 5MP front cam
  • 3,300mAh battery
  • 1440 x 2880 screen resolution

If you want to take the time to check out the features of some of these smartphone models and versions, we encourage you to come into our Telstra shop in Melbourne to view our range of the latest and most popular smartphone models on the market today.

TelcoWorld Corp. - Known as Beltz's Mobile Phones & Repairs Moorabbin



source https://www.telcoworld.com.au/news-blog/top-10-smartphones-2017/