One of the most frequent questions we receive is, "if you are using Telstra as your backbone, what happens if the network goes down or is congested, like on New Year's Eve?"


On top of positive customer feedback, we are continuously carrying out our own testing. Some of this is random: we use IMPULSE Wireless PTT in our own day-to-day operations. Some of our testing is purposeful, where we aim to make communications fail due to congestion. This testing has included at event sites on New Year's Eve (an hour either side of midnight), at traffic accidents during peak hour, at major events, and the busiest day of the year at shopping centres.


So far we have returned from all of our testing with close to flawless results, despite efforts to find times and places for the network to fail. This reflects the incredible capacity and resilience of the Telstra 4G network. Only data is transmitted over 4G (even VoLTE calls are data), and the Telstra 4G network has ample capacity, despite a 40% increase in peak traffic from Christmas 2015 to 2016. This makes 4G perfect for us (IMPULSE Wireless uses only data).


While 3G is affected by congestion at peak events, 4G almost always remains perfectly clear. Some of our purposeful testing is listed below.


Additional performance guarantees and service levels can be achieved using Telstra business demand data, or Telstra LANES for Emergecy Services, Government or Enterprise. All testing below was carried out in peak areas at peak times, with a standard, consumer-grade SIM.


While any communications system using a public network (ie. the mobile network) cannot be classed as "mission-critical," the results speak for themselves on the reliability of IMPULSE Wireless communications using the Telstra 4G network.



EventLocation
Time
Results (on a standard Telstra 4G SIM)
Boxing Day 2019Pitt St Mall, Sydney10am - 5pm 26 Dec 2019100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays
Boxing Day 2019Inside Westfield Sydney1pm, 26 Dec 2019During peak congestion within Westfield, some broken audio in certain areas (on building's internal Telstra site)
Boxing Day 2019
Inside Myer Sydney11am - 2pm 26 Dec 2019
100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays
City of Ryde Granny Smith FestivalEastwood, NSW20 October 2018100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Three concurrent events: Monster Jam/Spring Cycle/World Travel ExpoSydney Olympic Park, NSW13-14 October 2018100% positive customer feedback from IMPULSE Wireless users on site over both days.
#VividTaronga 2018Taronga Zoo, Mosman, NSW
27 May 2018
100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
#VividChatswood 2018The Concourse and surrounds, Chatswood, NSW
8 June 2018
100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Sydney Easter Show 2018Sydney Olympic Park, NSW
March 2018
100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Boxing Day 2017Westfield Chatswood, NSW26 Dec 2017100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
NYE 2016/2017Circular Quay (extensive testing 1145pm - 1205am), Milsons Point (1210 - 1220am), North Sydney, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney CBD
31 Dec 2016 - 1 Jan 2017
100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Boxing Day 2016Inside Westfield Parramatta, NSW26 Dec 2016100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Carols in the DomainThe Domain, Sydney18 Dec 2016100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
IlluminARTe WollondillyPicton, NSW7 May 2016100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Royal Easter Show SydneySydney Olympic Park, NSWMarch 2016Testing carried out by show security staff over a number of days and nights with 100% positive feedback on reliability.
Boxing Day 2015Inside Westfield Parramatta, NSW
26 Dec 2015
100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.
Four concurrent events (largest crowds at SOP since the Olympics): Stereosonic/Taylor Swift/swimming championships/SupercrossSydney Olympic Park, NSW28 November 2015100% clear communications with no interruption, no delays.


For more reading on network capacity at peak periods:

FAQ: Mission-critical PTT and mobile network reliability

Reliable two-way communications for retail and shopping centres


Photo credit: abc.net.au/Audience submitted: Steven Markham