First carrier in North America to test and begin deployment to support speeds of up to 42 Mb/s using HSPA+ Dual Cell technology

TELUS today announced Canada's fastest* mobile network is about to get even faster. Using state-of-the-art HSPA+ Dual Cell technology, TELUS will increase its already ultra-fast 3G+ wireless data network access speeds to up to 42 Mb/s when commercial deployment is complete in Canadian cities and towns. TELUS is the only North American carrier to have successfully tested HSPA+ Dual Cell technology in its wireless labs and to announce deployment in its commercial network.

“Once again, the entire TELUS team is proud to be a leader in the deployment of the most advanced wireless technology to Canadians. With the roll out of this new technology, TELUS clients with ‘Dual Cell' capable devices will enjoy unprecedented download speeds that will support even faster wireless access to an online world that connects them with their families, social networking with friends, favourite entertainment and the freedom to meet their business needs when our clients are on the move,” said TELUS President and CEO Darren Entwistle. “Canadians are amongst the most sophisticated users of wireless data in the world, and TELUS is committed to meeting their growing needs with the best technology available anywhere.”

HSPA+ Dual Cell technology uses advanced multiplexing techniques to combine two wireless data carriers, operating at manufacturer-rated speeds of up to 21 Mb/s each, into a single carrier with manufacturer-rated downlink speeds up to 42 Mb/s. New HSPA+ Dual Cell compatible devices that will allow customers to take advantage of the new network capabilities are expected to be commercially available during the first quarter of 2011.

TELUS is one of only a few carriers in the world to announce HSPA+ Dual Cell deployment. Telstra in Australia is the only operator known to have deployed this capability in its network. The deployment of Dual Cell is consistent with TELUS' evolution towards Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, as the company continues to maximize the potential of HSPA+ as an interim step and ensure the most optimal future transition to LTE.

Laboratory testing of the TELUS HSPA+ Dual Cell technology was completed in TELUS' Canadian laboratories in early July.

By leveraging the investment TELUS has already made in its 3G+ network, the company is able to support the deployment of Dual Cell technology with a small investment that is well within TELUS' overall capital expenditure guidance for 2010.

TELUS today announced a powerful addition to its leading 3G+ Android powered device portfolio with the upcoming HTC Desire, named Hottest Handset of 2010 at Mobile Magazine's 2010 Mobile Industry Awards.

Boasting a large, crisp touchscreen, the HTC Desire is the perfect Android powered smartphone to stay connected to social networks, access the most popular Google apps, such as free Google Navigation and YouTube and personalize by choosing from over 50,000 apps (applications) in the Android Market. Multiple social networks – such as Twitter, Facebook, and Flickr are easy to follow and update in a single view with HTC's Friend Stream app. Users can expect a more vivid view of rich web pages just like at home with Flash support for embedded videos on the brilliant touchscreen and the ability to navigate with double-tap, and pinch and zoom. The 3.7” capacitive touchscreen and powerful 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, combined with HTC Sense and the ultra-fast speed of TELUS' 3G+ network, make this smartphone incredibly responsive.

“With social media being an essential part of the way Canadians communicate and stay informed, TELUS is committed to bringing them some of the best smartphones available on the market to answer that need,” said David Fuller, Chief Marketing Officer at TELUS. “The HTC Desire is not only the perfect smartphone to stay in the know of everything that is going on around you, it's also the ideal device to experience Canada's fastest mobile network* that covers 93 per cent of Canada's population.”

“Beginning last year with HTC Hero and continuing with the HTC Desire today, we have worked closely with TELUS to bring cutting-edge Android devices to Canadian customers,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice-president of HTC America. “Both of these devices feature the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience, an intuitive mobile framework that puts people, not technology, in the centre of everything.”

Additionally, the HTC Desire features:
• Android 2.1 ( clair) with HTC Sense
• Access to over 50,000 applications from Android Market
• Seven homescreen panels to customize with tons of pre-loaded live widgets, apps and live wallpapers
• HTC Friend Stream app and widget to get consolidated updates from Facebook, Twitter and Flickr
• 3.7” , WVGA 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen
• 5 megapixel camera with flash and video capture
• Expandable memory up to 32 GB (8 GB microSD card included)
• Bluetooth 2.1
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n

TELUS today announced the launch of its first TELUS Smart Hub 3G+ WiFi router with voice that allows users to share their high speed Internet connection wirelessly across multiple devices and plug in an analog phone for voice services.

Developed by NetComm Limited, a leading global developer of broadband technology, the TELUS Smart Hub operates on the TELUS 3G+ network and is designed to support both voice and data traffic. Capable of connecting multiple WiFi enabled devices simultaneously, the TELUS Smart Hub offers all the benefits of a landline experience wirelessly.

“The TELUS Smart Hub is an excellent solution for business users, especially those looking to set up voice and data connectivity quickly or to support temporary office environments such as construction sites or remote professionals on client sites,” says Jim Senko, vice-president of SMB Marketing at TELUS.

This first 3G+ router launched on the TELUS 3G+ network delivers speeds of up to 7.2Mbps download and 5.76Mbps upload. It incorporates a 300Mbps WLAN 802.11b/g/n access point, two Ethernet 10/100Mbps ports and two phone ports for making and receiving telephone calls. No fixed line is required. Simply plug the device into an AC power source and a connection can be established wherever there is TELUS 3G+ network coverage.

“Wherever they are, businesses need to be able to stay in constant communication with their teams, clients, partners and suppliers. The new TELUS Smart Hub is the perfect response to our customers' business needs to be successful in this fast-paced, digital world. With the combination of high speeds and TELUS' vast 3G+ network, the TELUS Smart Hub is proof of the commitment to how much we at TELUS value our customers and their needs,” added Jim Senko.

“Service providers like TELUS that are investing massively in high speed 3G+ networks are relying on devices that will deliver the best possible experience to their customers,” said David Stewart, managing director at NetComm. “The TELUS Smart Hub does this very well and whether someone is operating a small business, a domestic home network or both, the Smart Hub is an excellent way of consolidating a number of devices and permitting the maximum use of a single account.”

TELUS Smart Hub 3G+ WiFi Router is available for as little as $149.99 on a 2-year contract. For more information please visit telus.com/catalog.