Optus' new 5G modem will get WiFi 7 by the end of the year

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 28 February 2024

Optus 5G home internet plans now come with a new modem, and the pitch is all about future-proofing. Optus says the Ultra WiFi 5G Modem has wireless speeds two times faster than the Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway 3 modem it replaces, but it also stands to gain more functionality over the course of the year.

To start, the Ultra WiFi 5G Modem will get WiFI 7 support by the end of the year. WiFi 7 support network speeds four times faster than WiFi 6, maxing out at 46Gbps. We've already started to see devices like the Galaxy S24 Ultra launch with WiFi 7 capabilities.

Optus also says the Ultra WiFi 5G modem will support carrier aggregation down the line. Carrier aggregation is when a mobile device connects to multiple network frequencies at the same time. This can improve both download speeds and coverage. There's no fixed time frame for this functionality, however.

Other notable tech specs include support for up to 128 devices at once, and compatibility with Optus' Ultra WiFi Booster Gen 2 for extended WiFi coverage. The Ultra WiFi Booster Gen 2 costs $216 and can be bought outright, or on a 12, 24, or 36-month payment plan

The Ultra WiFi 5G Modem is available to customers signing up for an Optus 5G home wireless internet plan from today. Existing Optus 5G home internet customers will need to recontract if they want the new modem. This does however mean paying out the remaining value of the old modem, which is equivalent to $16 for each month left in the 36-month term.

The same kind of clause applies to the new Ultra WiFi 5G Modem, but the payments are a little smaller. Customers will pay a maximum value of $468 if they leave the plan within the first three years, which is equivalent to $13 per month.

Here are Optus' 5G home internet plans:

Optus Plus Everyday 5G

5G Home Internet 50/11 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: $54/mth for a year, then $69/mth or as notified. New services. Incl intro offer + extra $5/mth off. Min cost $522. Ends 6/10.

$54/mth

Min. cost $54

Link not supplied

$54/mth

Min. cost $54

Link not supplied

Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G

5G Home Internet 87/15 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: $64/mth for a year, then $79/mth or as notified. New services. Incl intro offer + extra $5/mth off. Min cost $532. Ends 6/10.

$64/mth

Min. cost $64

Link not supplied

$64/mth

Min. cost $64

Link not supplied

Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G

5G Home Internet 230/20 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: $84/mth for a year, then $99/mth or as notified. New services. Incl intro offer + extra $5/mth off. Min cost $552. Ends 6/10.

$84/mth

Min. cost $84

Link not supplied

$84/mth

Min. cost $84

Link not supplied

Optus' 5G home wireless internet plans are available to over 2.1 million homes and businesses as of January this year. Read more about 5G coverage here.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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