Which telco has the fastest 5G network in Australia?
Optus remains ahead of the pack regarding 5G download speeds in Australia, according to Opensignal’s latest report. Telstra takes a close second, while Vodafone ranks a distant third in 5G download speeds. Since Australia’s commercial 5G launch four years ago, Opensignal’s analysis has seen a head-to-head race between Telstra and Optus, while Vodafone continues to trail.
However, the Opensignal report also measured 5G availability and 5G games experience, both of which Vodafone ranked ahead of Australia’s top two telco giants. These surprising figures and each telco’s pricing for mobile 5G plans could easily place Vodafone as the leading telco regarding value in a 5G plan.
Choosing the right 5G plan for your needs might be difficult, considering the many options available now that MVNOs have also entered the 5G market. This article will simplify the 5G market so you can make a sound decision on your best mobile 5G plan. Read on to find out.
How Opensignal 5G analysis works
Opensignal analyses 5G networks based on several factors, and the latest report considers data collected from January to March of this year, 2023. In this article, we focus on three aspects:
- 5G speeds
Opensignal’s latest report analysed each of the major telco’s average mobile 5G download speeds. - 5G availability
Oprensignal’s 5G availability differs from 5G coverage. Instead, 5G availability measures how long users remain on a 5G network after connection before being booted down to 4G or 3G. - 5G games experience
- According to Opensignal, 5G games experience “measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s 5G network”.
Optus has the fastest 5G download speeds in Australia, says Opensignal
- According to Opensignal, Optus’ average mobile 5G download speeds are the fastest in Australia. The report indicates that Optus has an average 5G download speed of 229.5 Mbps.
- According to the report, Telstra ranks a close second in average mobile 5G download speeds. The largest telco in Australia has an average 5G download speed of 215.0 Mbps.
- Coming in a distant third is Vodafone, which launched its 5G network over a year after Optus and Telstra. Opensignal says Vodafone’s average 5G download speed is 106.8 Mbps.
Opensignal ranks Optus 5G download speeds as the fastest in Australia. source
Vodafone has the highest 5G availability, according to Opensignal
Vodafone entered the commercial 5G market quite late – well over a year after Optus and Telstra. This was due to Vodafone’s desire to merge with TPG, which led to a battle between the telcos and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). After the lengthy battle, a federal court finally permitted the $15 billion merger in 2021, and Vodafone finally launched their commercial 5G network.
While Vodafone’s late entry can arguably excuse their rank as dead last in average 5G download speeds amongst Australia’s mobile network operators, the telco has made strides in other areas including 5G availability. Recall that 5G availability is not 5G coverage – instead, availability measures the average amount of time (in percentage) a 5G connection remains on 5G before falling to 4G and/or 3G:
- Vodafone’s 5G availability ranks highest in Australia, according to Opensignal. Users on the telco’s 5G network remained connected to 5G 30.8% of the time before falling to Vodafone’s 4G network.
- Telstra’s 5G availability ranks second in Australia, says Opensignal. The report indicates that Telstra users remained connected to 5G 19.2 percent of the time before dropping to its 4G network.
- Optus comes last in 5G availability in Australia, according to Opensignal’s latest analysis. Optus users remained connected to their 5G network only 12.1 percent of the time before getting booted to its 4G network.
Vodafone has the longest 5G availability in Australia, according to Opensignal. source.
So why does Vodafone rank last in 5G download speeds but first in availability? Well, more research and analysis will be necessary to arrive at a definitive answer. However, their network is less congested because Vodafone has fewer subscribers on 5G plans. This could explain why Vodafone users can remain connected to 5G for a more extended period of time before dropping to a 4G connection.
Opensignal says Vodafone has the best 5G games experience
Opensignal describes its 5G games experience factor as a measure of “how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator’s 5G network”. Again, Vodafone led this category:
- Vodafone’s 5G network scored 80 points in Opensignal’s games experience category, the highest in Australia.
- Optus ranks second in Opensignal’s 5G games experience with 78.8 points.
- Telstra comes in at a close third in Opensignal’s 5G games experience analysis with 77.4 points.
Opensignal says Vodafone has the best 5G games experience in Australia. source
Final words – the 5G verdict
So who has the best mobile 5G network in Australia? Well, only you can answer this question. But before you do, check out each network’s coverage to ensure you can access 5G in your area.
Another critical factor to consider is the price of each telco’s mobile 5G plans. While Optus and Telstra boast significantly faster speeds than Vodafone, you will find cheaper 5G plans with more 5G data from Vodafone, which might be a significant factor in determining value in your case.
We also find importance in each telco’s overall network performance where download speeds are concerned. In this case, when measuring overall download speeds, including 5G, 4G, and 3G, Telstra ranks fastest at 59.6 Mbps, followed by Optus’ 55.7 Mbps and Vodafone’s 47.8 Mbps. This metric presents a much closer race for download speeds. And because Vodafone users remain connected to 5G far longer than Telstra and Optus users, one might consider Vodafone’s overall speeds as presenting more value in a phone plan.
Finally, remember that MVNOs now offer 5G plans on all three major networks. This means you have many options, so do not settle for the major networks if they don’t provide the value you need. So if you want Optus 5G speeds at lower prices and different data allocations, you’ll find such options in several 5G plans from smaller phone companies reselling Optus’ 5G network.
For a comprehensive list of 5G plans, read our article recommending Australia’s best 5G phone plans.