Telstra mobile and 5G coverage: how does it compare?

By Elliot Nash

Last updated 23 November 2023

Contents

In this guide:

Telstra mobile network coverage
What about Telstra MVNOs?
How does the Telstra 5G rollout compare?
What you need to know about Telstra 5G
Telstra 5G devices

It's an age-old Australian fact — Telstra has the largest mobile network in the country. But what exactly does that mean for you, the customer? Describing network size based on the population covered, we know that Telstra's coverage is 99.6% of Australia.

In this guide, we'll take a look at Telstra's coverage and how it compares to Vodafone and Optus' mobile networks, the progress of its 5G rollout, and if its plans are right for you.

But first, here are the most popular SIM-only and prepaid plans available on the Telstra network, including Telstra for comparison:

#1	Belong	Belong 25GB Mobile Plan 25GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G mobile networks $30/mth Min. cost $30 Go to Site	$30/mth Min. cost $30	Go to Site
#2	Boost Mobile	Boost Mobile $26 Prepaid 17GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Get 17GB data for the first 3 recharges, then 7GB from 4th recharge. New customers only. Activate by 07.07.25 $26 Per 28 Day Renewal Go to Site	$26 Per 28 Day Renewal	Go to Site
#3	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom 25GB 5G Mobile SIM 25GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G mobile networks Deal: Bundle your mobile and nbn plans on the same account to get 10% off your mobile SIM-only plan fees. T&Cs apply. $29/mth Min. cost $29 Go to Site	$29/mth Min. cost $29	Go to Site
#4	Superloop	Superloop SuperSim Saver 4G Plan 15GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $25 Per 30 Day Renewal Go to Site	$25 Per 30 Day Renewal	Go to Site
#5	More	More 25GB 5G Mobile SIM 25GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Uses Telstra Wholesale 4G/5G mobile networks Deal: $5/mth off mobile plan fees for 12 mths then 10% off ongoing if you are a CommBank customer - $25/mth for 12 mths, then $27/mth $32/mth Min. cost $32 Go to Site	$32/mth Min. cost $32	Go to Site
#6	ALDI mobile	ALDI mobile $25 Mobile Plan 22GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $25 Per 30 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$25 Per 30 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#7	Telstra	Telstra $39 Pre-Paid Mobile 55GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Includes 40GB bonus data on first 3 recharges. $39 Per 28 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$39 Per 28 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#8	Everyday Mobile	Everyday Mobile Pre-paid $250 Long Expiry Recharge 215GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network Deal: $250 SIM Starter Pack discounted to $230 + 10% off your grocery shop once a month $230 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$230 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#9	Exetel	Exetel ExeSim Saver 4G Plan 10GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $20 Per 30 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$20 Per 30 Day Renewal	Link not supplied

Telstra mobile network coverage

If you go to Telstra's website, you'll find its mobile network coverage map that allows you to search by Australian addresses to see where Telstra's mobile network coverage reaches. It also lets you compare its 3G, 4G and 5G coverage.

However, by using WhistleOut's interactive coverage checker tool, you can compare 5G coverage to 4G and 3G coverage around Australia from the Big Three telcos all at once. This helps you make a more informed decision about which mobile network you should choose. Simply tick the box of the type of connection you want to see. The map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, but unticking 4G and 3G can help make it clearer. Then select which provider you want to check out by selecting it from the drop-down menu below the map.

Click to Activate Interactive Map

Coverage information is collected from carriers and other third party sources. This is approximate coverage only and does not include indoor coverage. Actual speed and performance depends on your location and device. Local conditions and things like natural and artificial physical features of an area all affect your reception. Coverage © Mosaik

How mobile network coverage maps work

Keep in mind mobile network coverage works off population, it doesn't consider the actual geographic coverage. While population coverage is essential, this does however mean there are parts of Australia that even the Vodafone network can't reach. So even though its maps generally colour in whole suburbs, you shouldn't expect coverage to completely blanket the entire area shown.

Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions, such as buildings.

Covering a total of 99.6% of the Australian population, Telstra is undeniably the largest mobile network in the country which explains why it's synonymous with rural customers who may not get reception with any other provider

Lucky individuals in select areas can also gain access to the provider's 5G network since all Telstra plans come with 5G access included.

In comparison, Optus and Vodafone mobile network coverage hold only 98.5% and 96% respectively.

With 98.5% of the Australian population covered, Optus is an ever-growing network on the heels of Telstra. Suitable for most of the country, especially those in city-centres, only those in rural and remote areas may miss out when compared to Telstra. Unlike Telstra, however, Optus' MVNOs are not split between two networks. Each Optus MVNO offers the exact same coverage as a regular Optus customer.

On the other hand, Vodafone covers 96% of the population. While that leaves it at the back of the pack, 96% still covers the vast majority of the country, making it suitable for pretty much everyone outside of rural and remote communities. Only marginally less than Optus, it too offers the exact same coverage through its MVNOs. Plus, thanks to the 30-day satisfaction guarantee, you can test out the Vodafone network to see if it's right for you. And if you're not happy with the coverage you can opt-out — no strings attached.

What about Telstra MVNOs?

Telstra is not the only option for gaining access to their near 100% mobile coverage. Many smaller providers can also offer you a plan on the Telstra network. In the industry, we call these providers Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). Each MVNO is authorised to resell access to larger mobile networks like Telstra's. With fewer overheads and no network maintenance costs to contend with, MVNOs can offer basically the same plans as big brand telcos without charging big brand costs.

Sounds too good to be true, right? There is one technicality with Telstra MVNOs in that they do not offer access to the entire Telstra network. This is because of the way Telstra divides its mobile coverage. Split across two networks, Telstra's full network (99.6%) is offered to its customers while MVNOs use Telstra's wholesale network which reaches only 98.8% of the population. The only exception is Boost Mobile who has complete access to the Telstra mobile network.

So who are all of the MVNOs who sit under Telstra? Take a look at our extensive list below:

Telstra network providers 2024

At the time of writing, WhistleOut monitors 11 major MVNOs that use the Telstra network. These are:

While less than one percentage point might not seem like a big deal, it will affect your coverage in some remote, regional, and rural areas. To illustrate this difference, here is a comparison between the regular Telstra network and the Telstra wholesale network:

Here are some of the cheapest plans in our database offered by these Telstra MVNOs with a 28 to 30-day expiry:

#1	ALDI mobile	ALDI mobile $19 Mobile Plan 10GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $19 Per 30 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$19 Per 30 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#2	Exetel	Exetel ExeSim Saver 4G Plan 10GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $20 Per 30 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$20 Per 30 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#3	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom 12GB Mobile SIM 12GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network Deal: Bundle your mobile and nbn plans on the same account to get 10% off your mobile SIM-only plan fees. T&Cs apply. $23/mth Min. cost $23 Go to Site	$23/mth Min. cost $23	Go to Site
#4	Everyday Mobile	Everyday Mobile Pre-paid Mobile $25 Recharge 22GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network Deal: $25 SIM Starter Pack discounted to $12.50 + 10% off your grocery shop once a month $25 Per 30 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$25 Per 30 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#5	Superloop	Superloop SuperSim Saver 4G Plan 15GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $25 Per 30 Day Renewal Go to Site	$25 Per 30 Day Renewal	Go to Site
#6	Boost Mobile	Boost Mobile $26 Prepaid 17GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Get 17GB data for the first 3 recharges, then 7GB from 4th recharge. New customers only. Activate by 07.07.25 $26 Per 28 Day Renewal Go to Site	$26 Per 28 Day Renewal	Go to Site
#7	More	More 12GB Mobile SIM 12GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses Telstra Wholesale 4G mobile network Deal: $5/mth off mobile plan fees for 12 mths then 10% off ongoing if you are a CommBank customer - $19/mth for 12 mths, then $21.60/mth $26/mth Min. cost $26 Go to Site	$26/mth Min. cost $26	Go to Site
#8	Belong	Belong 25GB Mobile Plan 25GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G mobile networks $30/mth Min. cost $30 Go to Site	$30/mth Min. cost $30	Go to Site
#9	Telstra	Telstra $39 Pre-Paid Mobile 55GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Includes 40GB bonus data on first 3 recharges. $39 Per 28 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$39 Per 28 Day Renewal	Link not supplied

Telstra vs. Boost vs. Belong vs. ALDI Mobile coverage and others

How does coverage on the Telstra network compare to ALDI Mobile, Boost, Belong, Tangerine and other Telstra network providers? View our guide.

What you need to know about Telstra 5G

Currently, Telstra has the widest amount of 5G coverage in Australia, and based on our real world testing, the fastest. In our speed tests, we've seen 5G devices get speeds of over 1Gbps on the Telstra 5G network, compared to max speeds of around 800Mbps on the Optus 5G network. Of course, speeds will also vary depending on your location.

As mentioned earlier, 5G access is available on every Telstra mobile plan. Here are Telstra's prepaid Upfront SIM-only plans:

$65 Basic Upfront SIM Plan

50GB data
Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices
Deal: Get your first 3 months device protect on Telstra, then $10/mth.

$65/mth

Min. cost $65

Link not supplied

$65/mth

Min. cost $65

Link not supplied

$75 Essential Upfront SIM Plan

180GB data
Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices
Deal: Get your first 3 months device protect on Telstra, then $10/mth.

$75/mth

Min. cost $75

Link not supplied

$75/mth

Min. cost $75

Link not supplied

$99 Premium Upfront SIM Plan

300GB data
Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices
Deal: Get your first 3 months device protect on Telstra, then $10/mth.

$99/mth

Min. cost $99

Link not supplied

$99/mth

Min. cost $99

Link not supplied

If you're after a Telstra mobile broadband, you're in luck. All the telco's data plans come with 5G access and start from just $25 per month for 30GB.

Telstra also offers a 5G home internet alternative if perhaps the NBN isn't for you.

How does the Telstra 5G rollout compare?

Telstra's 5G network coverage now includes over 85% of the Australian population, with the goal of hitting 95% of the population in 2025. Coverage spans Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart.

Optus' 5G network coverage has 1,000 live sites that cover over 1.4 million households in Australia, and coverage is available in a number of locations, including parts of Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

Vodafone's 5G network coverage is smaller than Telstra and Optus but the carrier's 5G footprint is available in over 2,500 suburbs across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Perth, the Gold Coast, the Central Coast, Wollongong, and the Sunshine Coast. Vodafone also plans to upgrade approximately 250 sites to 5G in non-metro areas as well. This means the Vodafone 5G network will end up covering between 81% and 90% of the Australian population. Vodafone expects to finish building its 5G network in 2026.

Telstra 5G devices

As 5G continues to roll out across the country, Telstra is certainly no exception. You can compare the 5G speeds of Telstra, Optus and Vodafone here.

The following 5G devices are available through Telstra. As you can see, as is the case with other telcos, there are a number of iPhone and Samsung Galaxy options available:

Samsung