Telus Corp. (TSX:T) said Tuesday morning it will double its network’s data speeds next year.
The Vancouver-based telco said in a release it is the only North American carrier to have successfully tested HSPA+ Dual Cell technology – the underlying technology allowing Telus to increase its current 3G+ wireless data speeds – in its wireless labs and announce its deployment in its commercial network.
HSPA+ Dual Cell technology combines two wireless data streams, operating at speeds of up to 21 megabytes per second each, into a single stream with downlink speeds up to 42 Mb/s.
Devices allowing customers to use the new network capabilities are expected to be commercially available during the first quarter of 2011.
Telus said that Australia’s Telstra is the only operator known to have deployed this capability in its network.
Because Telus is overlaying new technology onto its existing network – rather than overhauling it – the company does not expect the HSPA+ deployment to require a significant investment.
Other carriers in Canada are likely to announce network upgrades in the coming months.
Telus’ share price range during the past week: between $40.68 and $42.04; 52-week high: $42.52; 52-week low: $30.76.