Speedy network starts in July

By RICHARD WOOD

Telecom's new high-speed cellphone network, which it hopes will attract high-value customers in droves, kicks off in late July - almost a year late.

The CDMA 1XRTT will offer "theoretical" access speeds of up to 153kbps. (In practice Telecom talks of 40 to 80kbps depending on distance from transmitters.)

Coverage is the same as the existing CDMA network - about 97 per cent of the country - and charging will be similar for both voice and data.

One contract plan charges $45 for the first 25Mb of downloaded data and then $4.09 per Mb after that. This would put a typical email at 24c.

Casual rates will be double those figures and other mobile data prices mentioned were $75 for 45Mb or $100 for 75Mb a month.

Telecom spokeswoman Lorraine Witten said it would be the fastest 1X network in the world and it met the specifications of a true third-generation (3G) network.

She said 1X was similar in speed to Telecom's JetStart fixed-line service, which has a theoretical maximum of 128kbps.

1X is targeted initially at business users wanting to bring email, calendar and data access to their cellphones and handheld computers. Applications could include field sales, service information and dispatch.