Late yesterday Telstra threatened legal action against SingTel Optus over recent claims made by its CEO that some 3G phones would work on its proposed 900Mhz 3G network despite the fact they are on a different frequency. A copy of the letter sent to SingTel Optus is available here.

Letter to SingTel Optus: Optus 3G network & handset compatibility (PDF - 559KB)

At Telstra we think Optus’ claim is on par with someone claiming they can get cable TV without a cable.

From a company that tells its customers, "we hear you" someone at SingTel Optus is definitely not listening to their 3G handset suppliers.

And it’s not just us. The claim by SingTel Optus has left many scratching their heads. 

Some of the recent media reports include:

• Telstra threatens Optus with legal action on iPhone claims (www.news.com.au)
• iPhone 3G: Telstra slams Optus over allegedly misleading 3G claims (www.itwire.com)

It’s a timely reminder that not all 3G networks were created equal and highlights some of the challenges that some of our competitors will face in offering a proposed network with potentially few devices to support it.

In fact, a lot of new devices are now supporting 850 and 2100 frequencies as many carriers around the world follow in Telstra’s footsteps after the launch of the Next G™
network.

It’s important that consumers understand when they are choosing their mobiles that some of these new phones simply won’t work properly on other frequencies like 900.