Nokia E72: what's new
* No longer any speed limit for today's 7Mbit/s 3G networks; supports downloads up to 10Mbit/s (and 2Mbit/s up)
* still digital camera upgraded from 3.2mP to 5mP
* Nokia Messaging now expanded to include major chat clients on top of existing, free push email support for Notes, Exchange/Outlook, major webmail clients
* Slightly longer form factor (114 x 58.3 x 10.1 mm). Weight: 128 g

In a day of tit-for-tat claims over 3G upgrades, Telecom is now pledging to make its entire nationwide XT network ready for HSPA+ by the end of this month.

Read also: Vodafone, Sky TV poised to expand partnership

The telco is talking a full commercial roll-out, spokeswoman Rebecca Earl told NBR this afternoon.

Vodafone, on the other hand, has pledged to implement its own HSPA+ upgrade over 2010.

Vodafone has said this morning that the first of a trial group of Auckland customers have gone live on its HSPA+ network, and can expect mobile data download speeds of up to 16Mbit/s - that is, the same speed as most get from a landline DSL broadband connection, if they're lucky.

47 Auckland cellsites have been upgraded to the technology, all with fibre backhaul courtesy of the telco's partnership with Vector.

The trial will expand to include 100 Auckland customers.

Following a “technical validation” trial today, the carrier promises its network upgrade, which will offer DSL-like data speeds on a mobile, will be in Auckland trial customers’ hands by October, with widespread commercial deployment during 2010.

In a demonstration at Vodafone’s Auckland headquarters this afternoon, a Nokia Siemens cell site streamed data at up to 19.2Mbit/s, and uploaded at up to 4Mbit/s.

Even before its 3G network’s launch, Telecom has announced plans to triple XT’s speed to 21Mbit/s - that is, faster than most landline DSL connections - by year’s end. Vodafone hits back with its own upgrade plan, running to 4G. Welcome to the mobile arms race.

Some at Vodafone and Telecom (and Telecom especially investors) would like to sit back and reap the benefits of a cap-ex splurge that has seen the two telcos spend $1 billion between them on their respective W-CDMA upgrades.