Telstra's first field trial of 5G mobile technology reached speeds of 20 gigabits per second on Tuesday, fast enough to download 600 high-quality movies a minute.

Looking into the future – when movie files could reach 100 gigabytes for ultra high definition (4k) visuals – users will be able to download the entire film in 40 seconds on a mobile device.

The 5G equipment, tested by Telstra, uses hundreds of small antenna. Credit:Bloomberg

"This is the first 5G trial on Australian soil, and the outdoor nature of the test has provided a true sense of what 5G will be able to offer customers once it is launched commercially," Telstra's chief technology officer, Philip Jones, said.

While the technology and handsets are unlikely to be available until at least 2020, Telstra is already working on equipment standards and future spectrum needs with regulators and manufacturers.