Network Information

Our GSM network provides coverage to more than 96 per cent of the Australian population and more than 600,000 square kilometres.

GSM is a great mobile phone network for customers in capital cities with excellent in-building coverage, metropolitan areas and for international travellers.

Mobile phone usage can sometimes be restricted or even impossible inside certain buildings, structures and some locations, notably within capital cities. Telstra's GSM network has an extensive range of base stations inside many buildings and structures to help provide coverage within some of these difficult areas.

GSM network users can also take advantage of information and data services via GPRS. With a GPRS capable mobile phone you can access information services, the internet, send and receive emails, and more.

GPRS coverage is available over the same coverage area as GSM.

And with extensive international roaming capability in more than 170 countries (including nearly 130 with GPRS), GSM is also a great choice for international travellers, helping to keep you in touch when travelling overseas.

Have a look at the geographic coverage our GSM network provides. See our Coverage Maps.

Telstra's GSM network offers a range of products and services designed to help you maintain contact in many places across Australia. Find out more about Mobile Services.

Some of these include:

• multi-featured answering services
• SMS text and picture messaging
• SMS information bulletins with PocketNews^®
• information services
• fax and data services.

Convenient access to the internet, email and other online services is available through your GPRS-capable mobile phone.

General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) is a packet-based wireless communication service that provides fast data rates and continuous connection to the internet for GPRS capable devices¹. It is an overlay to the GSM network giving Telstra Mobile customers the same coverage as our GSM network.

GPRS uses a more efficient way of sending and receiving data information. Unlike circuit switched services, it doesn't require a dedicated channel for the length of the data transmission. Rather, it breaks the information into 'packets', allowing multiple users to make use of many channels at once.

As a consequence, GPRS offers a cost-effective method of sending information. Depending on your device, customers can now enjoy an 'always-on' connection² to the internet because Telstra doesn't charge the customer for the time 'online' but only for the transmission of data (subject to session fees payable under the PAYG pricing option).

Your GPRS handset may need to be configured to work on Telstra's GPRS network. See our Mobile Phone Configurator.