9th August - Telstra announced it had increased its 3G mobile base by more than 530 per cent in the year to 30 June 2007, catapulting its total number of 3G mobile subscribers to more than two million and cementing Telstra as the clear market leader.

There are now more than one million Next G™ network subscribers alone since it was launched in October last year, overshadowing CDMA subscribers for the first time.

Telstra CEO, Mr Sol Trujillo, said customers had quickly realised the benefits of the Next G™ network - Australia's largest and fastest national mobile network.

"The speed, coverage and features of our world-class Next G™ network are second to none and have opened up new opportunities for our customers," Mr Trujillo said.

"We are really pleased that our customers have adopted Next G™ services at rates even faster than we had hoped for. It demonstrates people are ready to change the way they use their mobile devices, to assist how they work, live and play. It also shows that the competitive market works best and that customers will always make choices for themselves.

"For example one Tasmanian salmon farmer, Tassal, relies on the Next G™ network to remain in touch with its staff managing the salmon out at sea and expects to see savings of more than $100,000 per year by remotely inputting data from the barge. An accounting specialist business, Bishop Collins, saves more than $500 per week by working with clients on location to access information on the spot. In the Abrolhos Islands off the Western Australian coast, pearl farmer and jewellery designer Jane Liddon can compete on an international basis by quickly sending large files such as photographs and designs to buyers overseas.

"We have seen amazing growth in BigPond® services over mobile since the Next G™ network was launched - over 90 percent of Next G™ network customers have visited "My Place" with - one click' and there has been a 39 per cent increase in customers visiting Sensis search."

Hundreds of thousands of small businesses, enterprises and consumers have also embraced the freedom that Next G™ wireless broadband offers - providing access to work files, personal and work email, their calendar and contacts - in more places across Australia than any other network can provide.

"Mobile data has really taken off since we launched the Next G™ network - we already have six times more customers using BigPond Wireless Broadband and Telstra Mobile Broadband on the Next G™ network than we do on the old EVDO network.

"It clearly shows how important high speed wireless services and network coverage 100 times greater than our closest 3G competitor is to our customers," Mr Trujillo said.

Consumer customers have also shown that their mobile phone is now more than just a voice device, it is an important and integral part of their life, a must have that has changed the way they live work and play.

"Entertainment has been a big winner in the consumer market as our customers use their mobile phones for music downloads, games and Foxtel by mobile. Figures for the second half of this year show Foxtel by Mobile subscribers were up by 18 per cent to 50,000, more than 400,000 music streams were downloaded and 300,000 games downloaded," Mr Trujillo said.