Telstra’s Mobile Smart Antenna Offers Boosted Coverage

Telstra has started offering its subscribers a booster that is supposed to work for mobile receptions with weak signals. The offer comes one year after the company said that their service was superior to any other mobile provider, and that their coverage will not require any “band-aids.”

The company was referring to their competitor’s move to offer its subscribers a similar package sometime April of last year. Telstra then said this was their competitor’s way of compensating for poor coverage.

At that time, Telstra boasted of an in-building coverage that would meet the demands of consumers.

Optus released a femtocell in 2011, which works like a mini-internal mobile network. It’s plugged in to a fixed broadband connection so that the coverage is increased.

Since last month, however, Telstra started pushing for the “Mobile Smart Antenna” device for $720. This comes with a ‘window unit’ for receiving NextG signals indoors and outdoors.

According to its website, one can use the Smart Antenna to extend coverage to other areas in the building where there is limited or no signal.

The device, according to Telstra, is technically a repeater. Unlike Optus’ unit, this doesn’t need a fix connection to work. The smart antenna promises to improve signals to up to 50 meters coverage within the building.

A Telstra spokesperson explains that it is an antenna and not a femtocell. Femtocells basically create and provide network coverage in areas where it doesn’t exist or where the antenna amplifies existing coverage.

The antenna also is not for mass production but will only be useful to a set of subscribers. A spokesperson for Optus meanwhile said that it was confident their products are delivering and meeting consumer demands.