Australian operator Optus has begun testing what it claims to be the world’s first TD-LTE Advanced carrier aggregation solution. The firm claims to have achieved single user peak speeds of up to 160Mbps on its commercial 4G Plus LTE network.

The operator, a wholly owned subsidiary of SingTel, added that it has demonstrated a site throughput of over 500Mbps, using its 2300 TD-LTE spectrum.

Optus’ 4G Plus network is currently live in areas of Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and  Adelaide.

“This is the first time in the world that 4G carrier aggregation has been introduced into a live TD-LTE network; not in a lab, but on a fully operational, commercial network,” said Vic McClelland, managing director of Optus Networks.

“Our abundant spectrum holdings in the 2300MHz band; new technologies like carrier aggregation; and our 4G Plus TD-LTE network are the foundations of the Optus network of the future.”

Optus said that the network is capable of delivering a theoretical maximum speed of up to 220Mbps to a single user on compatible mobile devices.

“This is about ensuring that Optus continues to build a mobile network that keeps pace with the ongoing evolution of 4G devices. When customers upgrade to newer and faster mobiles and modems, we want to make sure that our network is ready for them to take full advantage, much like building a faster highway for faster cars,” added McClelland.

The 2^nd annual TD-LTE Summit is taking place on the 8th-9^th April 2014 at the Fairmont Singapore Hotel, Singapore. Click here to download a brochure.