Telstra’s 5G reaches over 40% of Aussies as the network prepares for a 5G iPhone

This is 5G week, make no mistake. Despite over a year of 5G coverage, despite many many 5G devices already on the market, the expected arrival of a 5G enabled iPhone will be the kick the Telco’s need to really take 5G to the next level.

With that, Telstra has announced their 5G network now reaches more than 40% of Australians with Network guru Nikos Katinakis saying this was a milestone for Telstra “41 percent 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,”

“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.

The company’s plans are big – they hope to have Telstra 5G coverage in 75 percent of the population by the end of June 2021. As it stands, the network covers over 1,400 suburbs.

The breakdown of the suburb count looks like this across the Country:

• New South Wales – 383 suburbs
• Queensland – 331 suburbs
• Victoria – 272 suburbs
• South Australia – 239 suburbs
• Western Australia – 107 suburbs
• ACT – 80 suburbs
• Tasmania – 51 suburbs

For context of the complexity of that roll out, those 1400+ suburbs are covered by over 2,000 5G sites, with Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays being the 2000th site.

This is important because Telstra has been on this 5G journey since before 5G was even a thing, and their dominance in marketing should come to fruition with the launch of an iPhone with 5G enabled.