Optus is a prominent telecommunications company based in Australia. Founded in 1981, it was originally known as Aussat Pty Limited before being renamed to Cable & Wireless Optus Pty Limited in 1998, and eventually Singtel Optus Pty Limited in 2001. The company is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Singtel, a leading communications group headquartered in Singapore. Despite being a subsidiary, Optus operates independently within the Australian market. Over the years, Optus has established a strong presence in the country, providing a wide range of communication services including mobile, telephony, business network services, internet and satellite services.
Alias
Singtel Optus Pty Limited
Country
Australia
Type
Network Operator
Optus Logo

Optus 3G Network

Optus launched its 3G network in Australia on 1st May 2007, offering speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. The network utilised the 2100 MHz frequency band, which was commonly used for 3G networks worldwide. On 1st May 2008, Optus launched UMTS900, a new technology that utilised the 900 MHz frequency band. This lower frequency allowed for greater coverage and better building penetration, improving the user experience, particularly in rural areas and within buildings. On 1st April 2011, the network was upgraded to 21 Mbps HSPA+, a high-speed packet access technology that boosted the network's data transmission capabilities.

The company announced its 3G network would be shutdown by September 2024.

Network Frequency Band Status
B1 (2100 MHz)
Shutting Down
B8 (900 MHz)
Shutting Down
Date Event Subtype

Optus 4G Network

Optus began the rollout of its 4G network in Australia using Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in 2011. The initial focus was on regions like Newcastle, Port Stephens, the Hunter Valley and Lake Macquarie. By mid-2012, the network had expanded to include Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. In November 2011, Optus completed its first data connection using LTE technology over the 700MHz band, after being allotted spectrum in Bendigo, Victoria. In March 2012, Huawei Technologies deployed its SingleRAN equipment for the construction of an LTE-based network in Newcastle, New South Wales, enabling 4G services over the 1800MHz band. In the same month, Optus tested 4G LTE technology over the 700MHz band in Bendigo, achieving downlink speeds of up to 70Mbps, transmission distances of 13km, and upload speeds of 32Mbps. 

In April 2012, Optus launched trial 4G LTE services in the Hunter region, providing coverage of Greater Newcastle, Maitland, Port Stephens, and areas in the Hunter Valley. By June 2012, a trial version of its LTE services was rolled out in the Hunter region, involving around 1,000 users. In July 2012, Optus launched commercial LTE-based services for SME and government customers in Sydney and Perth, utilising its in-deployment Frequency Division Duplex LTE network with dual mode 4G/3G HSPA technology utilised across the 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum bands. In September 2012, Optus commercially launched its LTE network for residential customers in Sydney, Perth and Newcastle, with planned expansion to Melbourne. In December 2012, Optus launched a Time Division Duplex Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) network in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) using the freed 98MHz of spectrum in the 2.3GHz band. In 2013, Optus initiated Time-Division Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) network trials using the 2.3GHz band in Canberra and had twelve TD-LTE base stations in the city, and also operated an FD-LTE network using 1800MHz spectrum.

In February 2017 the company announced successful NB-IoT trials in partnership with Cisco Jasper. Optus quietly enabled its NB-IoT mid-2021 over the B28 700 MHz band.

Optus launched LTE-A Pro "4.5G" services in February 2017, boasting peak data rates in excess of 1 Gb/s, using carrier aggregation, 256QAM modulation, and 4x4 MIMO technologies. This was extended further in September 2017 when the company deployed Massive MIMO in some areas of its live network, featuring 64T64R MIMO using technology.

4G Frequency Bands
Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status Known EARFCNs
B1 (2100 MHz)
20
Active
375
B3 (1800 MHz)
20
Active
1700
B7 (2600 MHz)
20
Active
3350
B8 (900 MHz)
5
Active
3659
B28 (700 MHz)
10
Active
9260
B40 (2300 MHz)
20
Shut Down
Date Event Subtype
Optus had successfully completed its first data connection using Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology over the 700MHz band after being allotted spectrum in Bendigo, Victoria.
Optus tested 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology over the 700MHz band in Bendigo, achieving downlink speeds of up to 70Mbps, transmission distances of 13km, and upload speeds of 32Mbps.
Optus expanded its 4G network footprint to include Wollongong, with five LTE-enabled sites switched on in the central area of the city, and there were plans for extensive network upgrades in the greater Illawarra area to also include upgrades to the Optus 3G network.
Optus accelerated its 4G infrastructure deployment, switching on sites over the 2600MHz band in 40 regional centres, and was granted early access license approvals for LTE in the 700MHz band in 200 regional locations.
Optus launched commercial services over a Time Division Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) network, with around 22 TD-LTE-enabled sites in Melbourne, and 33 sites across Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide being activated.
Optus started rolling out Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology from 2011 with an initial focus on Newcastle, Port Stephens, the Hunter Valley and Lake Macquarie, before expanding to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in mid-2012, and it trailed 700MHz LTE services in Bendigo, Victoria.
Huawei Technologies deployed its SingleRAN equipment for the construction of an LTE-based network in Newcastle, New South Wales, enabling 4G services over the 1800MHz band.
Vodafone Australia utilised its 1800MHz spectrum for rolling out LTE and undertook upgrading of its 3.5G network.
Optus launched commercial Long Term Evolution (LTE) services in September 2012, with over 100 4G-enabled base stations operational in Brisbane and the Gold Coast; access to this 4G technology expanded to Brisbane the following month and later to Adelaide with the launch of four LTE-enabled sites.
Optus initiated Time-Division Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) network trials using the 2.3GHz band in Canberra and had twelve TD-LTE base stations in the city, and also operated an FD-LTE network using 1800MHz spectrum.
Optus completed a significant expansion of its 4G network in Adelaide via the deployment of 25 new LTE-enabled sites, and upgraded 150 3G sites.
Optus launched a Time Division Duplex Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) network in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) using the freed 98MHz of spectrum in the 2.3GHz band.
Optus launched trial 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) services in the Hunter region, providing coverage of Greater Newcastle, Maitland, Port Stephens, and areas in the Hunter Valley.
Optus launched commercial LTE-based services for SME and government customers in Sydney and Perth, utilising its in-deployment Frequency Division Duplex LTE network with dual mode 4G/3G HSPA technology utilised across the 900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum bands.
Optus trialled equipment in its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network as part of a nationwide 4G network construction contract.
Optus used 2300MHz frequencies to deploy Time Division Duplex LTE (TDD-LTE) technology in Canberra, having previously launched a Frequency Division Duplex LTE (FDD-LTE) network in several locations using the 1800MHz band.
Optus initiated a fixed wireless broadband trial in four capital cities using a 4G signal and wireless router, with a projected download speed capacity of up to 12 Mbps.
Optus tested technology that would allow customers to make voice calls over its 4G LTE network, with trials conducted for both HD Voice and voice-over-LTE (VoLTE).
Optus trialled Time Division Long Term Evolution Advanced (TD-LTE-A) carrier aggregation and achieved peak speeds over 160Mbps on its 4G Plus network, using four 20MHz channels of the 2300MHz spectrum band for a test throughput of 520Mbps, and two 20MHz channels for live network tests capable of theoretical maximum speeds up to 220Mbps.
Optus extended its 4G pilots to Perth and Darwin using the 700MHz and 2600MHz bands, secured trial spectrum licenses from the Australian Communications and Media Authority for trials at five sites in Darwin and six in Perth, and planned to test their full spectrum stack from 700MHz to 2600MHz in these areas.
Optus's LTE-based network expanded to cover approximately 98.5% of the population by 2016, using a combination of spectrum assets and site assets.
Optus launched its first commercial 4G 700MHz network in the Central Business Districts of Darwin and Perth, expanding its 4G network to around 200 holiday destinations and new regional locations while improving indoor 4G experiences for metro area customers with the wider use of the 700MHz spectrum in January 2015.
Optus deployed LTE-Advanced services, utilising carrier aggregation technology on its 2300MHz spectrum in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide, with plans to extend coverage to Canberra.
Optus utilised a combination of LTE 700MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz, and 2600MHz spectrums to expand its 4G Plus multi-band network to more than 1,100 metropolitan and regional sites, with 700MHz frequencies underpinning national coverage.
Optus and Huawei trialled 4.5G technology, achieving downlink speeds of 1.41Gbps, using 100MHz (5×20MHz) of Optus's unique network frequency bands in conjunction with 4×4 MIMO and 256 QAM technologies, reaching a peak download speed of 1.23Gbps in live network conditions.
Optus switched on 4.5G network services across Macquarie Park in Sydney, achieving throughput speeds of 1.03Gbps using a blend of technologies like four and five component carrier aggregation (4CC/5CC), 4×4 MIMO and 256-QAM.
Optus commercially launched its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network for residential customers in Sydney, Perth and Newcastle, and planned expansion to Melbourne from 15 September 2012.
Optus rolled out a trial version of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) services in the Hunter region, involving around 1,000 users.
Optus commenced the rollout of voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) technology across its '4G Plus' branded infrastructure in major Australian cities, offering high definition quality voice calls, faster call connections, and multitasking capability over a 4G connection.
Optus extended its 4G coverage in the Australian Capital Territory, utilising the 700MHz spectrum following an early access commercial licence approval, and previously utilised the 2300MHz band for its 4G services in Canberra.

Optus 5G Network

Optus initiated its 5G network journey in Sydney on 16th November 2016, conducting a successful trial that achieved a single user transmission rate of 35Gbps over the 73GHz band. This was made possible through the use of millimetre wave and Polar code technologies. By 5th February 2018, Optus began the rollout of 5G technology, deploying a fixed-wireless product in key metro areas. This followed an outdoor trial for 5G New Radio (NR) that recorded downlink speeds of 2Gbps using a potential device for a fixed wireless service in both C-band and mmWave frequencies. 

On 6th April 2018, Optus launched a public showcase using a live 5G trial indoor and outdoor network, where 5G use cases and 8K video streaming were demonstrated. Optus completed a data call using 60MHz of 3.5GHz spectrum from a 5G site in Dickson, Canberra on 14th January 2019. This was done utilising a commercial grade 5G radio network and customer premises equipment developed in partnership with Nokia. 

On 11th February 2019, Optus switched on a new live 5G site in the Kellyville suburb of Sydney, using Ericsson's 5G RAN equipment and operating on Optus' 3.5GHz spectrum with a channel bandwidth of 60 MHz. On 25th February 2019, engineers used OPPO's 5G test devices equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modems to successfully complete an Augmented Reality (AR) 5G video call using Ericsson's networks. 

Optus officially launched 5G services in November 2019 with an initial 290 sites, and expanded to 1200 as of March 2020. Development continued over 2021 with the company announcing the successful implementation of Standalone (SA) 5G, along with the country's first Interleaved Passive Active Antennas (IPAA) allowing it to support 4G-5G technologies from a single base station module.

In May 2021 Optus announced that it had switched on its first six 5G mmWave commercial sites in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The company secured 800 MHz of 26 GHz spectrum from 26700 to 27500 MHz following the April 2021 ACMA spectrum auction.

Throughout 2021 Optus began refarming its B1 (2100 MHz) LTE services into 5G NR2100 with the intention of deploying FDD-TDD aggregated 5G services. Optus announced in February 2023 that it had successfully implemented n8 (900 MHz) 5G at over 1000 sites across the country.

Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status
n1 (2100 MHz)
20
Active
n8 (900 MHz)
5
Active
n78 (3500 MHz)
100
Active
n258 (26 GHz)
400
Active
n3 (1800 MHz)
15
Active
n40 (2300 MHz)
90
Active
Date Event Subtype
Optus switched on a new live 5G site in the Kellyville suburb of Sydney, using Ericsson's 5G RAN equipment and operating on Optus' 3.5GHz spectrum with a channel bandwidth of 60MHz.
Optus successfully completed a 5G network trial in Sydney, during which a single user transmission rate of 35Gbps over the 73GHz band was achieved, using millimetre wave and Polar code technologies.
Optus completed a data call using 60MHz of 3.5GHz spectrum from a 5G site in Dickson, Canberra, utilising a commercial grade 5G radio network and customer premises equipment developed in partnership with Nokia.
Optus began the rollout of 5G technology by early 2019, deploying a fixed-wireless product in key metro areas, following an outdoor trial for 5G New Radio (NR) that recorded downlink speeds of 2Gbps using a potential device for a fixed wireless service in both C-band and mmWave frequencies.
Optus launched a public showcase using a live 5G trial indoor and outdoor network, where 5G use cases and 8K video streaming were demonstrated.
Engineers used OPPO's 5G test devices equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modems to successfully complete an Augmented Reality (AR) 5G video call using Ericsson's networks.
Optus commercially launched its 5G mobile and 5G residential fixed broadband services over a network with 290 live sites and plans for 1,200 sites by March 2020, providing a peak speed of 400Mbps with a guaranteed minimum of 50Mbps.
Optus established an end-to-end 5G data call using its spectrum in the 2300MHz band and highlighted its ability to build a dual-band 5G network using both the 2300MHz and 3500MHz frequency bands.
Optus successfully executed a 5G video test call and streamed video content on a 4G device using Ericsson Spectrum Sharing technology, which allocated spectrum resources between 4G and 5G in milliseconds to match different service video needs.
Optus launched a dual-band 5G network using 2300MHz and 3500MHz spectrum bands in Sydney, utilising Ericsson's radio system equipment for these bands.
Optus utilised mid-band spectrum and 5G carrier aggregation to deliver a downlink rate exceeding 2.5Gbps on a Samsung Galaxy S20 5G device at a live site in Sydney.
Optus successfully combined 2100MHz spectrum with 3500MHz spectrum using 5G carrier aggregation and spectrum sharing technology, and completed testing at a live 5G site on non-standalone architecture in Sydney.
Optus and Nokia achieved an aggregate site throughput of 10Gbps using 800MHz of millimetre Wave (mmWave) spectrum during a downlink speed demonstration in a Brisbane site, by aggregating its 5G spectrum bands of 3500MHz and 28GHz, along with existing 4G spectrum band layers.
Optus carried out a voice call over a commercial 5G standalone network using Evolved Packet System Fallback (EPS-FB), Ericsson Radio Access Network (RAN) technology, Ericsson cloud native dual-mode 5G Core for standalone networks, and Ericsson Cloud IMS with Oppo's Find X3 Pro 5G handset.
Optus and Nokia deployed the country's first Interleaved Passive Active Antenna (IPAA) in Yeerongpilly, Brisbane, enabling the upgrade of existing sites to 5G by replacing the existing antennas with a similar sized unit that supports all legacy technologies as well as 5G massive MIMO active antenna.
Optus achieved an upload speed of 300Mbps on its 5G mmWave site in Strathpine, Brisbane by combining its 4G 2100MHz spectrum with mmWave spectrum.
Optus and Ericsson implemented new technologies for high capacity and broad coverage 5G and 4G services utilising existing 2100MHz and 1800MHz spectrum in Tasmania.
Optus switched on its 5G Standalone network for commercial use after close to a year of testing and customer trials.
Optus tested 5G millimetreWave technology using the 26GHz band at four locations in Sydney, including making its first mmWave data call.
Optus achieved the world's first '2300MHz + 3500MHz 5G Non-Standalone Carrier Aggregation call' in Sydney, demonstrating the simultaneous use of both spectrum frequencies.
Optus completed the rollout of 5G in the Optus Stadium in Perth, using Nokia's 5G AirScale indoor Radio solution for indoor zones and equipment from Nokia's AirScale Radio Access portfolio for outdoor 5G coverage, including 5G RAN, AirScale base stations, and the AirScale Micro Remote Radio Head solution.
Optus demonstrated the use of New Radio Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) technology to aggregate its 3500MHz mid-band spectrum with its 26GHz mmWave spectrum in Sydney, using MediaTek's M80 test platform and Ericsson's RAN Compute and 5G radios.
A data session was achieved using 3 Components (3CC) Carrier Aggregation (CA) technology over a 5G Standalone (SA) network in Australia, combining one FDD band carrier (2100MHz) with two TDD band carriers (2300MHz + 3500MHz) using CA technology and powered by Nokia's Reefshark chipset over Optus's commercial network.
Optus used a significant portion of the 900MHz spectrum secured at an auction in December 2021 to enhance its 5G coverage.

Knowledge Base Articles

Australian National Coverage Model (NCM)

Powertec's Software Engineering Team have developed an interactive, high resolution coverage map for each mobile network operator in Australia.

The ...