Telstra’s 5G network explained

Fact Checked

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.

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.

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

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 5G speeds Speeds capped at 25Mbps after 1TB allowance exceeded Includes Telstra 5G Home Modem ($0 when you stay connected for 24 months) min. cost $85 over one month	1TBMax Data**/billing period	$85Advertised Cost^^/billing period
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.

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.