Australia-based operator Telstra switched on its LTE-Broadcast (LTE-B) network, describing the technology as “game changing” for provision of sports coverage over its mobile network.

Telstra has long been a supporter of LTE-B technology, which is used to broadcast one content stream to multiple handsets simultaneously rather than creating multiple one-to-one connections.

The operator is one of the founder members of the LTE-B Alliance, a group which also counts EE, KT and Telecom Italia among its members, and has highlighted the potential of the technology regularly over the two years prior to its official launch.

Telstra will use LTE-B to deliver content to its AFL Australian Rules Football app. Though the technology will initially only be available on Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9 devices, the operator said other apps and devices would be added to the network in the coming months.

In a company blog, Telstra group MD for networks Mike Wright said the technology was: “delivering better quality video and audio experience for broadcast content, even in high traffic areas.”

He added every weekend the company had 1.2 million devices accessing live sport content, consuming a total of 37 million minutes.