Home topics news News Tech News First 4G smartphone to hit market next week Lorna Brett January 19, 2012 Australians will have access to Telstra’s 4G network for the first time next week, with the launch of the HTC Velocity 4G smartphone. Consumers in 4G coverage areas using the HTC Velocity 4G from Tuesday January 24 will be able to access mobile internet speeds of up to five times faster, between 2Mbps to 40Mbps, and upload speeds up to three times faster, of 1Mbps to 10Mbps, making it ideal for businesses who are reliant on internet on-the-go. The Velocity 4G features a 4.5-inch touch screen, a 1.5 GHz dual core processor for fast multi-tasking and an 8-megapixel camera. Online pre-orders for the Velocity 4G are now open, and consumer customers can purchase the smartphone for $0 upfront on the $79 Freedom Connect Plan (after using MRO Bonus), with $800 worth of included calls and MMS, unlimited SMS and 2GB of data all to standard Australian numbers. Business customers can purchase the HTC Velocity 4G for $0 upfront on the $90 Business Mobile Advantage Member plan (via MRO Offset), with $90 worth of included standard national calls (charged per second when the timed calls option is selected) and MMS, unlimited standard national SMS and 2GB of data to use in Australia each month and free national voice calls to eligible mobiles on the same account. Min cost over 24 months is $2160. Telstra launched its 4G mobile services last September, which