Telstra boosts 5G coverage as new 5G device launches loom large
Monday 12 October 2020: More than 40 per cent of Australians now live, work or pass through Australia’s leading 5G network as Telstra forges ahead with its rollout in cities, suburbs and regional areas.
Telstra Group Executive, Networks & IT, Nikos Katinakis said Telstra had reached a new national milestone for population coverage as the 5G network roll out picked up pace ahead of major 5G device launches.
“41 per cent of Australians can now access Telstra 5G – which means more Australians now have the ability to switch to a 5G device and enjoy the benefits,” Mr Katinakis said.
“With a number of major 5G device launches just around the corner, we’re expecting to see the uptake of 5G devices grow significantly and we’re ramping up our efforts to roll out 5G coverage to as many Australians as possible to match.
“Our 5G now covers an area that more than twelve million Australians live, work or pass through on a daily basis, giving them access to a superfast network at a time when connectivity’s never been more important and when there’ll be more 5G devices to choose from than ever.
“We’ve recently announced our intention to roll out Telstra 5G to 75 per cent of the Australian population by the end of June 2021, which will expand our network to even more suburban and regional areas.
“We’ve now rolled out Telstra 5G to selected areas of more than 1,400 suburbs across the country – bringing Telstra 5G closer to more people.”
Telstra 5G is now available in selected areas of 383 suburbs in NSW, 331 suburbs in Queensland, 272 suburbs in Victoria, 239 suburbs in SA, 107 suburbs in WA, 80 suburbs in ACT and 51 suburbs in Tasmania.
Telstra has switched on its 2000th 5G site, with Airlie Beach in Queensland’s Whitsundays joining more than 60 other cities and towns across the country where Telstra’s 5G roll out is now underway.
Airlie Beach is one of 20 regional areas where Telstra’s 5G roll out has started since mid-2020:
- Nowra, Medowie, Corowa, Cowra, Orange, Malua Bay and Yamba in NSW;
- Paynesville, Wangaratta, Bairnsdale, Corryong and Benalla in Victoria;
- Sunshine Coast, Innisfail and Airlie Beach in Queensland;
- Berri, Pt Elliott and Port Augusta in South Australia and;
- Esperance in Western Australia.
“Our roll out continues picking up pace and during our busiest week this financial year, in late September 2020, we added more than 60 new 5G sites to Telstra’s mobile network.
“We’ve also rolled out improved in-building 5G coverage to key parts of Westfield Centrepoint, Bondi Junction, Macquarie Shopping Centre, Melbourne Central, Chadstone, Carindale, Chermside, Marion, West Lakes, Carousel Cannington and Booragoon Garden City shopping centres as well as selected areas of the Brisbane, Melbourne and Darling Harbour Convention Centres.
“We’ve made a commitment to roll out the new Telstra 5G network to more areas across metro, regional and rural Australia – and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
“We’re a long way ahead of our competitors because we’re investing more, we’ve got the technology leadership and we want to extend that lead because Australia needs 5G.”
Media Contact:
Matt Smithson - Media Manager
E: media@team.telstra.com
110/2020