Optus performs well, largely thanks to mobile

Optus as reported steady growth for the full year to 31 March led by its mobile business with mobile connections passing the nine million mark.

Optus last month became the first mobile operator in Australia to offer femtocells as a full commercial product. Optus promoting them as solution for Optus mobile customers with poor coverage in their homes.

Optus has launched what it says is Australia's first mobile operator application developer portal, Optus Partner Connect, designed to give developers the opportunity to showcase and sell their applications direct to the Optus mobile customer base.

Optus added a quarter of a million new mobile subscribers in the three months to 31 March, its strongest quarterly growth in five years.

Figures released by their respective parent companies show that Optus added 189,000 new mobile customers in the three months to 30 September, compared to VHA's 58,000.

Optus is offering the HP Mini 5102 Netbook for $0 in a bundle with what it says is a series of specially developed business class mobile broadband plans aimed at SMEs.

Optus has launched a new range of BYO Business Class Mobile Broadband plans with standard SIMs and Micro SIMs, which will compatible with Apple's new iPad.

Australia's mainland capital cities and regional centres will be getting Optus 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) mobile services from mid-2012, with Optus announcing that rollout will commence from next month. Telstra switched on its LTE network in May this year and has promised the service will be available before the end of 2011.

Optus has announced it has bought up all the remaining 2100MHz mobile spectrum to give its 3G/HSPA mobile services in metro areas a speed boost.