Touted as the fastest broadband access available, Telstra announced on Monday the availability of its 4G long-term evolution (LTE) mobile network that the company said will be deployed to eight central business districts (CBDs) and 30 regional metropolitan centres nationwide.

According to Telstra chief executive David Thodey, the new 4G network will deliver superfast internet access to Australian consumers, enabling them to "download songs faster, get TV shows in minutes and do more things simultaneously."

"Telstra's 4G network delivers mobile speeds scarcely imagined a decade ago, making it easier for people to connect with the things they need and love when on the move," the Telstra CEO said in a statement.

4G subscribers, Telstra said, will enjoy download speeds of up to 40 megabits per second (Mbps) and maximum upload speeds of 10Mbps, increasing by more than 100 percent both downstream and upstream services offered by the giant telco.

With 4G now in full swing, Telstra is set to withdraw its Ultimate Next G broadband USB dongle product, which will then superseded by the new BigPond USB 4G dongle that customers can acquire through a 24-month locked-in contract.

Telstra executive director of mobile Warwick Bray revealed that LTE will assume the same pricing scheme for regular mobile broadband plans that the company had announced earlier this month, which he noted was a way of maximising the benefits that 4G will deliver to customers.

Bray added that existing BigPond subscribers will have to contact their nearest Telstra outlet in order to re-contract the terms of their broadband services, which he assured will be a breeze.

"It's a great network for capacity as well, and we want to encourage people to come onto the 4G network," Bray was quoted as saying by CNET Australia on Monday.

Also, Telstra is now working on the likelihood that smartphones and tablet computers with access to the new 4G network will deployed in the general market by next year, with Thodey projecting that the handsets getting into consumer hands by the initial months of 2012.