A number of smaller providers powered by the Telstra network have started offering 5G connectivity on their more affordable SIM-only mobile plans. These include Exetel, Woolworths Mobile, numobile and MATE, with plans starting as low as $28 per month on Exetel.
There are two catches, however.
1. 5G connectivity on these plans is currently advertised as a free trial. As the offer stands, you’ll only get 5G network access on these plans until February 28. You’ll lose 5G connectivity after this date unless the offer ends up being extended. These plans are all contract-free however, so you’re always free to change providers after the free trial is up. Or before.
2. These plans have speeds capped to 100Mbps. While that’s a fraction of the speed 5G is capable of, 100Mbps is still more than enough for any common mobile task. Since it’s the equivalent of an NBN connection, it’s also fast enough to hotspot from.
Of course, 5G has other benefits such as greater network capacity (for less congestion), faster upload speeds, and better latency.
Cheap Telstra providers 5G mobile plans
Here are the cheapest plans with 5G from Exetel, Woolworths, numobile and MATE:
If you’re an existing customer on one of these plans (or a more expensive one from the same telcos), you should already have 5G, provided you have a 5G phone and live in a Telstra 5G coverage area.
The news follows Telstra’s budget brand Belong adding 5G to all its SIM-only plans. Belong’s plans are subject to the same 100Mbps speed cap, but the 5G connectivity isn’t subject to a trial period.
Here’s Belong’s range of SIM-only plans:
Until recently, Telstra network providers only offered a single high-end 5G plan, typically priced around $60 per month at a minimum. These more expensive plans are still subject to a speed cap, but a faster 250Mbps limit. This is the same as Telstra’s cheapest 5G plan.
These are the cheapest 5G plans with speeds of 250Mbps or more:
Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison websiteThe post More Telstra Providers Are Now Offering Cheap 5G Mobile Plans, but There’s a Catch appeared first on Gizmodo Australia.
