The role out of a new 3G Edge network in Australia by the UK carrier is set to hurt Optus who are struggling from one network problem to another. While being hammered from the top end by Telstra, Optus are set to feel the heat of a network blowtorch from Vodafone as they go after disgruntled Optus customers.
Core to Optus' problems is the lack of infrastructure invested by their owners, the Singapore government. Currently in a battle with Telstra via their membership of the Terria Consortium, who along with Telstra is bidding for more than $4.5 billion dollars in Federal government funding for a national broadband network, Optus is facing legal action in both NSW and Queensland following the failure of their services.
While Telstra has invested billions in their new NextG network and a mooted private broadband network, Optus has struggled from one disaster to another. Last week, after only four weeks the carrier axed their heavily promoted Wireless Fusion, which ironically had become one of their most popular wireless broadband services. The move followed a massive TV and print advertising campaign. Globally the Company was also labelled as having the slowest Apple 3G iPhone networks in the world.
