5G has undergone a huge period of change in the past few years, with Telstra, Vodafone and Optus officially switching on their respective networks in selected areas. In this article, Canstar Blue explores Telstra’s 5G network.
In this guide we’ll cover:
Where is Telstra 5G available?
Telstra has been at the forefront of 5G technology in Australia. The telco has claimed several Australian firsts – including completing the first end-to-end standalone 5G call, being the first provider to enable 5G in all capital cities, and offering the first commercial 5G phones to Aussie consumers.
Telstra has the biggest 5G network: over 4900 5G sites across the country, serving parts of over 400 cities and towns, including:
- Adelaide
- Brisbane
- Canberra
- Gold Coast
- Hobart
- Launceston
- Melbourne
- Perth
- Sydney
- Toowoomba
If you’re curious as to where exactly 5G is live, you can view coverage maps for each city on Telstra’s website. However, be aware that these maps don’t include ‘indoor coverage’. While you may be able to pick up a 5G signal outside, this doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the same network strength inside buildings. We’ve provided examples of Telstra’s 5G coverage in three major cities below.
Telstra 5G coverage map: Sydney
Telstra 5G coverage map: Melbourne
Telstra 5G coverage map: Brisbane
Image Credits: https://www.telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/our-coverage
How can I access Telstra’s 5G network?
To use 5G on your phone, you’ll need a device that supports the frequencies used by 5G in Australia. Fortunately, you don’t need to figure out your phone’s compatibility on your own: 5G-capable smartphones are clearly labelled and an increasing number of these devices are available to Telstra customers:
Telstra 5G phones
- Apple iPhone 16 series
- Apple iPhone 15 series
- Apple iPhone 14 series
- Apple iPhone 13 series
- Apple iPhone 12 & iPhone 12 Pro
- Apple iPhone 11
- Apple iPhone SE
- Samsung Galaxy S24 series
- Samsung Galaxy S23 series
- Samsung Galaxy S22 series
- Samsung Galaxy XCover7
- Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Fold series
- Samsung Galaxy A series
- Google Pixel 9 series
- Google Pixel 8 series
- Google Pixel 7 series
- Google Pixel 6 Pro & A
- Motorola G62 5G
- Motorola G34
- Motorola razr 40 series
- Nokia X20
- OPPO Find X5 Pro
- OPPO A94 5G
Samsung Galaxy S24
The Samsung Galaxy S24 series launched early in 2024, and each of the three models (S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra) is 5G-capable. Telstra may also have stocks of older Samsung 5G devices, including the Galaxy S23 series and the Galaxy S22 series.
Telstra Samsung Galaxy S24 Plans
The following table shows selected published 24-month Telstra plans for the 256GB Samsung Galaxy S24 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 tool for mobile phone plan comparison to see a wider range of plans from other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
Telstra Samsung Galaxy S24+ Plans
The following table shows selected published 24-month Telstra plans for the 256GB Samsung Galaxy S24+ 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 tool for mobile phone plan comparison to see a wider range of plans from other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
Telstra Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Plans
The following table shows selected published 24-month Telstra plans for the 256GB Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra 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 tool for mobile phone plan comparison to see a wider range of plans from other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
iPhone 16
Telstra offers the full iPhone 16 range, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, in all colour and storage options. The phones are 5G-ready and compatible with Telstra’s 5G network. You can buy your iPhone 16 device on a plan over 12, 24 or 36 months or outright, and bundle with one of Telstra’s Upfront plans.
Compare Telstra iPhone 16 plans
The following table compares a selection of 24-month Telstra 128GB iPhone 16e plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.
The following table compares a selection of 24-month Telstra 128GB iPhone 16 plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.
The following table compares a selection of 24-month Telstra 128GB iPhone 16 Plus plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.
The following table compares a selection of 24-month Telstra 128GB iPhone 16 Pro plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.
The following table compares a selection of 24-month Telstra 256GB iPhone 16 Pro Max plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers.
Telstra 5G home internet
Looking for a 5G home internet option? Telstra offers the 5G Internet Modem 2, which supports super-fast WiFi 6 technology. This device is now available to order from Telstra on an $85 month-to-month 5G home internet plan. Telstra’s 5G home internet plan includes 1000GB of data each month, with average busy period download speeds of 317 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 36Mbps.
Telstra 5G Home Internet Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Telstra 5G 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. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
5G Home Internet
min. cost $85 over one month |
1TB | $85 | |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
How much does Telstra 5G cost?
Telstra’s 5G network is free to use on the telco’s postpaid phone plans with an accompanying 5G-compatible device. Note that all of Telstra’s prepaid plans can also access Telstra’s 5G network. However most of these plans have their download speeds capped at 150Mbps. The only two exceptions are:
- Telstra’s $59 per 28-day prepaid plan: speeds capped at 250Mbps
- Telstra’s $69 per 28-day prepaid plan: uncapped download speeds.
The below table shows a range of postpaid and prepaid plans with 5G network access.
The following table shows a selection of published postpaid SIM plans with 5G access on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of 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 published prepaid SIM plans with 5G access on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of 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.
How fast is Telstra 5G?
Once you’re up and running on Telstra 5G, you can expect speeds significantly faster than the current 4G network. We’ve personally seen speed test results of more than 3,000Mbps in Sydney using Telstra’s high-frequency mmWave 5G.
If you are within Telstra’s 5G coverage, expect a serious boost in speeds and reduction in lag when using your 5G device. If you’re waiting on 5G, you can still use any of the above devices on Telstra’s fast and efficient 4G and 4GX network, which is available across Australia.
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