news The nation’s largest telco will tomorrow start selling a 4G version of one of 2011’s most popular smartphones, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S II.
The phone represents the second smartphone to launch on Telstra’s fledgling 4G network (after the HTC Velocity 4G in January), which so far mainly covers the central business districts of major cities, but is gradually expanding outwards. The telco’s current 3G network that is based on the HSPA+ standard has download speeds varying between 1.1Mbps and 20Mbps, whereas the 4G band will enable speeds between 2Mbps and 40 Mbps. Upload speeds that are currently between 500kbps to 3Mbps will expand to between 1Mbps and 10Mbps.
In a media release issued today, Telstra director of mobile, Andrew Volard said Australians would live the speeds available through the company’s 4G network. “The Samsung Galaxy SII 4G takes the design elements that have made Samsung Galaxy SII one of Australia’s most popular smartphones and adds 2012’s must-have phone feature – ultra-fast 4G web connectivity. Customers in 4G coverage areas are going to love being able to load web pages up to five times faster than on 3G handsets. They’ll be able to send, stream and surf at speeds that will blow them away,” Volard said.
The 4G version of the Galaxy S II is not precisely the same as the original Galaxy S II (see Delimiter’s review here), which was Samsung’s top model in 2011 and was on sale through virtually every major mobile telco in Australia. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S II (4G) has a faster CPU, at 1.5GHz compared with 1.2GHz (although it’s still dual-core) and a slightly larger screen (4.5″ compared with 4.3″). These features, with the addition of 4G capability, no doubt bulks out the handset’s weight (at 132g compared with 116g), and it’s slightly thicker as well, at 10mm compared with 8.5mm. In addition, it has a 1850mAh batter, compared with the original’s 1650mAh.
The original Galaxy S II which shipped in Australia did not contain an NFC chip for mobile payments, but the new Telstra 4G version does. It also supports HD voice support on Telstra’s network for very clear calls, and HSPA+ dual-channel support for the fastest speeds possible when outside Telstra’s 4G footprint.
However, with respect to a variety of other specifications the phone remains similar. It doesn’t yet run the latest version of Google’s Android platform (Ice Cream Sandwich), although Telstra notes that it will be upgradable to this version in future. It features an eight megapixel camera capable of recording 1080p video, and a 2 megapixel camera on the front for video calling, 16GB of storage space and an 800×480 Super AMOLED Plus touchscreen.
The Samsung Galaxy SII 4G can be purchased online from today or from Telstra Stores around Australia from tomorrow. Telstra said in its statement that customers can purchase the handset for $5 per month on the $59 Freedom Connect Plan (after using an included MRO Bonus), with $550 worth of included calls & MMS, unlimited SMS and 1.5GB of data, all to standard Australian numbers (excludes use overseas) each month.
Business customers can purchase the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G on Telstra’s $70 Business Mobile Advantage Plan plus $5 per month Mobile Repayment Option for 24 months, after using their MRO bonus. This offer includes unlimited standard national SMS, free national voice calls to eligible mobiles on the same account in Australia and 1GB of data to use in Australia each month that can be shared with other eligible mobiles on the same account. The Samsung Galaxy S II 4G is also available to purchase outright for $768 RRP.
opinion/analysis
Wow, what a smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S II was already one of the best smartphones on the market, and Samsung has now updated it with upgraded specs, NFC and support for 4G. I don’t know what else Samsung, Apple and other vendors have coming this year, but this is already looking like a clear leader at this point — at least for the next six months. Throw in Ice Cream Sandwich and I’m sold. This is what Delimiter reviewer Jenneth Orantia wrote about the original Galaxy S II last year, and it looks like it has just gotten even better:
“The Galaxy S was designed to take on the iPhone 4, and despite its warts (sluggish performance, short battery life), it was one of the first real challengers to the Apple empire. We’re guessing that Samsung had the impending iPhone 5 in mind when it built the Galaxy S II, but this has failed to materialise so far, making the Galaxy S II, with its dual-core processor, 4.3in Super AMOLED Plus display and 8-megapixel camera, the most powerful and feature-rich smartphone on the market.
There are other smartphones out there with similar specs, but none of them pull it off as well as the Galaxy S II. Whether Apple actually releases a new iPhone this year remains a question, but if you’re looking to upgrade your current handset now, you can’t do any better than the Galaxy S II.”
Image credit: Samsung
Why do all reviews keep saying “The Samsung Galaxy S II was already one of the best smartphones on the market”?
It is OK, but it is not suitable for fringe reception areas, so much so, that Telsta would not sell it until Samsung produced a special modified version that improved NextG (850MHz) reception. The problem with this special Telstra version is that it now doesn’t work very well (if at all) on any other frequency band, because part of the modifications was an 850MHz band pass filter between the antenna and the radio.
Aside from it’s woeful fringe reception, the SGS2 also has quite poor WiFi reception.
I wish reviewers would test reception in marginal reception areas, which of course are very common in Australia once you get outside the main city areas? I suspect it would completely change their opinion of what phone is the best smartphone.
It’d be awesome if Telstra offered some sort of upgrade incentive for those of us who already have the GS2.
Don’t hold your breath.
Unfortunately I doubt Telstra will provide such an incentive ;)
Renai, is that an Android in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?
Heavier, no ICS, no 720P+ display – this looks like a mid cycle refresh. Think I’ll wait, I am sure they can do better.
This is very definitely a mid-cycle refresh.
Beat me to it. Was about to post that they are the big missing features that would turn me away too. With so many 720p ICS phones coming out this year a 800×400 screen that has been stretched up to 4.5″ is decidedly last gen. Even if it is S-AMOLED.
I’d want ICS from day one as well, given the vague promises of an upgrade to a newer version of Android by Telcos always seem to take forever.
Having said that, it’s still a great smartphone and if you want LTE it’s definitely the best handset on offer in Australia so far.
i have just ordered one of these for the wife (mainly because the gs2 is not available online any more and the sg2 4g is the same price on a new telstra S plan).
i live in mackay, qld, so i will be interested to see how it stacks up reception-wise. i current;y have a htc mozart and it’s coverage is pretty good.
i will be writing up a bit of a review, so if anyone is interested in the findings, let me know.
I certainly am. Particularly interested in how battery life on LTE compares to battery life when switched to HSPA+. Obviously keen to see what download and upload speeds you can achieve too :)
Given that you are in Mackay you should be able to do some good reception tests. Could you please do some in a known marginal reception area?
Hi Shannon,
I am in mackay too, so I would be very keen on your review, Speed and reception on Mackay’s 4G would be great too!
will do guys. i hopefully can test out a few marginal reception areas (my dad is in one!).
IMO, its worth waiting for the HTC One XL over this.
I’m unsure about that as yet — I’d like to see both handsets reviewed before I make a decision. I like both Samsung and HTC :)
just got word that telstra have sold out! as soon as i get one, the review will be done…
word i have received is that the 4g lte is not in stock for a little while.
thinking about cancelling my order and biding my time for the galaxy s3…
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