Here in Australia, the three major telcos have been busy building their 5G networks, with parts of cities now covered by Telstra and Optus and Vodafone, while manufacturers are rolling out 5G-capable devices. But there’s also a lot of confusion around what 5G really means for the average consumer: namely, how fast is it? Find out how fast 5G is, and what’s available on the major networks, in this Canstar Blue article.
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What is 5G?
5G is the next advancement in data focused mobile technology, and represents a step up from 4G. It offers faster internet speeds, lower latency, greater bandwidth and an increased capacity to support thousands more devices: all of which translates to internet speeds faster than you’ve seen previously (in Australia anyway).
The deployment of 5G opens up huge possibilities not just for everyday phone and internet use, but also for areas such as telehealth, remote learning, and smart cities. Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone/TPG are currently relying on mid-band 5G for their network rollout, which is a type of 5G that uses similar frequencies to existing 4G. However, the major telcos are also planning to complement this with a type of 5G called mmWave, which uses higher frequencies.
These frequencies are less crowded than 4G waves, allowing them to transmit higher amounts of bandwidth and support more devices, creating faster speeds (we’ve personally witnessed over 3.5Gbps with Telstra’s mmWave 5G). The infrastructure for mmWave is made up of small cells (rather than traditional towers), located close together, to allow the frequencies to travel quickly between them. This makes it ideal for densely populated regions but doesn’t work so well in regional locations, where it’s harder to place cells closer together.
How fast is 5G?
5G has the potential to reach up to 20Gbps, a sharp increase from 4G’s maximum projected maximum speed of 1Gbps. Theoretically, it’s a hundred times faster than existing 4G technology, but this depends on your choice of network, your location, the type of connection you have, and your device, among other factors. But for most customers, expect speeds faster than both 4G and commercial NBN and ADSL.
Perhaps most importantly, 5G is capable of delivering ultra-low latency. A latency value measures how responsive your internet connection is, and a low latency translates to super fast internet. For example, a connection with low latency will be able to send and receive a text message within seconds. The latency levels customers will receive with 5G make interactions almost instant, which is especially important for people who game and for international businesses that rely on fast transaction speeds.
5G download speed
While dependent on the network you’re on, and a number of other factors, 5G download speeds in Australia generally sit around 300-500Mbps.
5G upload speed
While dependent on the network you’re on, as well as a number of other factors, 5G upload speeds in Australia generally sit around 30-60Mpbs.
Things that can affect your 5G speed
There are a few things that can affect the speed of 5G connections and networks. These include:
- Your location: 5G works best in crowded urban areas where the 5G sites are placed closely together, allowing the frequencies to travel between them quickly.
- Your provider: The technology your provider is using can affect your fast your internet is. If your provider is lagging behind on the technology front, then so are you.
- The number of people connected: The more people on a cell tower, the less bandwidth you will be able to receive.
- Your device: You need to be using a 5G compatible device to access 5G.
How can I get 5G?
You can get among the 5G hype by making sure you’ve got a 5G-compatible smartphone. There’s now a decent range of 5G-ready phones on the Australian market, most of which are Android devices at varying prices points. Apple released its first 5G phones towards the end of 2020, but has been expanding its range since, including up to the iPhone 15 series.
You’ll also need to be in an area where there is a 5G connection. A handful of providers now offer 5G mobile or internet coverage, which operate on either the Telstra, Optus, or TPG/Vodafone 5G networks. This means that not only do you need to be in an area with 5G coverage, you also need a plan provided by a 5G network provider (for example, for 5G on the Telstra network you’d need to be signed up for a Telstra plan that allows 5G access, plus a 5G-capable device).
5G compatible phones
As 5G becomes more widely available, the range of 5G compatible phones expands, giving consumers a great range of options across the iPhone and Android models. Keep in mind that these phones can access 5G networks, but you will need to be in a 5G area yourself, to use the service. We have put together a selection of recent 5G phones currently available below, but for more info check out our 5G-compatible phones guide.
- iPhone 15 series including the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S24 series
- OPPO Find X5 series
- Google Pixel 8 series, including the Pixel 8
- Premium Motorola devices including the Razr 40 Ultra and Razr 40
We’ve put together a table below featuring a range of 5G compatible phones on the market right now that can be purchased with a plan. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone offer a range of 5G phones on 12, 24 or 36-month device payment plans, although Telstra might not offer certain devices on certain payment periods. Keep in mind that you can pay less each month by spreading the cost of your device out over a longer payment period, but you’ll still pay the same for your phone in total no matter which repayment term you go with.
The following table shows a selection of 24-month 128GB iPhone 15 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
The following table shows a selection of 24-month 256GB Samsung Galaxy S24 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
The following table shows a selection of 24-month 128GB Google Pixel 8 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
5G mobile broadband
If you need to use the internet on the go, or to do fast file-sharing anywhere in Australia, it might be worth looking into 5G mobile broadband offerings. Right now, there are only a few Aussie telcos offering 5G mobile broadband, including ALDI, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra also offers a great wireless broadband modem for 5G — the Telstra 5G WiFi Pro. For more information, and to see how consumers rate each provider, check out our Mobile Broadband Most Satisfied Customers ratings.
5G mobile broadband plans
The following table shows a selection of published 5G mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $15 over one month billing period |
20GB | $15 | Link to provider unavailable |
 |
Choice Plus Data Plan
min. cost $20 month to month |
20GB | $20 | Link to provider unavailable |
 |
min. cost $25 over one month |
30GB | $25 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
min. cost $35 over one month billing period |
100GB | $35 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Medium
min. cost $58 over one month |
75GB | $58 | Link to provider unavailable |
 |
min. cost $64.90 over first month |
400GB | $64.90 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $70 over one month billing period |
400GB | $70 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Large
min. cost $90 over one month |
400GB | $90 | Link to provider unavailable |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
5G home broadband
If you’re lacking a reliable wired broadband connection at home, you might want to consider home wireless broadband – and thankfully, 5G home internet has arrived from a range of providers, including Telstra, Optus, TPG, Vodafone, iiNet and more.
These plans are designed to replace your home internet connection, and offer similar speeds to fast NBN 100 or NBN 250. As such, they’re not portable, but feature a plug-in-and-go modem that may be geo-locked to your home address.
Most providers offer unlimited data 5G home internet, however you will find some telcos cap speeds for their introductory 5G broadband plans, usually at 100Mbps. If you’re wanting a plan with no speed limits and no capped data, you’ll be looking at the more expensive plans.
The good news is that most plans are free from lock-in contracts or setup fees, with the exception of modem costs. You can compare 5G home internet plans in the table below.
The following table shows selected published 5G home internet plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5G Home Internet
min. cost $85 over one month |
1TB | $85 | |
|
Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G
min. cost $675 over first month |
Unlimited | $99 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
The following table shows selected published 5G home internet plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $59.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
 |
min. cost $59.99Â over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
 |
Ultimate 5G Home Broadband Plus
min. cost $65Â over one month |
Unlimited | $65 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $64.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $64.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $69.99Â over one month |
Unlimited | $69.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $70Â over one month |
Unlimited | $70 | Go to Site |
|
Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G
min. cost $655 over first month |
Unlimited | $79 | Link to provider unavailable |
 |
SpinTel 5G Unlimited
min. cost $89 over one month |
Unlimited | $89 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Is it worth upgrading from 4G to 5G?
5G offers plenty of benefits to users, but it can come at a price. Still a relatively new technology, using 5G – and having to buy a compatible 5G device in order to do so – can run up quite a bill, but for your buck you get plenty of bang, namely in the form of speed. And with more resources being put behind 5G in the form of technology and infrastructure, you can expect more providers to come to the fray, making it more competitive for consumers to eventually sign up to.
While not currently a necessity, 5G certainly has plenty of appeal, so it may be worth looking into if you’re looking to upgrade your phone plan or handset.
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