According to a new filing in the Federal Court of Australia, Apple is seeking to redefine Australia’s existing 3G networks as being actually “4G” networks in light of the recent launch of its New iPad
A report in The Australian this morning claims that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is trying to push Apple to change the name of the cellular version of the iPad from “iPad Wi-Fi + 4G” in Australia. The ACCC has already made Apple use corrective advertising and offer refunds to customers.
The new iPad doesn’t actually work on long-term evolution (LTE) networks in Australia. It will work on LTE networks in the 2100MHz and 700MHz spectrum bands like those in the United States, but Australian mobile operators are using the 1800MHz spectrum bands at the moment. The 700MHz band is still being used for analog TV.
Apple’s latest defense filing states that it believes the 3G networks run by local providers Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone “are 4G networks in accordance with accepted industry and regulatory use of the descriptor ‘4G’.”
This argument is nothing new for Apple. Many iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S users think their phones are running 4G when in fact they are running only 3G. Apple has yet to make a 4G iPhone. However, marketing strategies, particularly in the U.S., have stated otherwise.