Telstra MVNOs will be able to sell 5G plans from July

Telstra has announced smaller providers powered by its network - Mobile Virtual Network Operators, or MVNOs - will be given access to its 5G network from July.

MVNOs will be given access to the full Telstra 5G network, including mmWave coverage. This differs from its approach to its 4G wholesale network, where resellers have access to a slightly smaller coverage footprint. MVNOs reselling Telstra 5G will however have their plans capped to 250Mbps. For comparison, we've seen speeds as fast as 1Gbps when testing Telstra 5G in Sydney.

5G also won't be available on every Telstra MVNO plan. Instead, providers will be able to choose to stick to reselling cheaper 4G plans, or whether they want to extend their range with more premium 5G options.

This approach is similar to what Optus has taken, where providers powered by the Optus network can choose between 4G-only plans or more expensive 5G plans. So far, only a small number of Optus MVNOs have started reselling Optus 5G mobile plans, including SpinTel, Aussie Broadband, and Southern Phone.

Other Optus providers like Moose Mobile last year told WhistleOut that the high wholesale pricing is the reason the telco hasn't started offering 5G plans yet. MVNOs are often seen as a budget alternative to the major telcos, and typically have better value options. When it comes to 5G, Optus has seemingly made wholesale pricing at the point where MVNOs need to match its mainline plans.

At this stage we don't know whether we can expect Telstra MVNO 5G plans to be in line with Telstra's pricing or more affordable. Telstra's cheapest SIM-only 5G plan is billed a $65 per month with 80GB, but it also has a $60 prepaid plan with 5G with 65GB of data.

Telstra hasn't confirmed which MVNOs will be offering 5G, but a spokesperson confirmed some smaller providers have signed up. Boost Mobile, Belong, Woolworths Mobile, and ALDI Mobile are the most recognisable smaller providers powered by the Telstra network.

A Belong spokesperson told WhistleOut that it is working through plans to offer 5G to its customers, with further details to come soon. Belong is owned by Telstra and run as its budget brand.

At this stage, MVNOs will only be able to sell Telstra 5G mobile plans. 5G mobile broadband plans are off the cards for now.

Vodafone is currently the only network that has yet to provide a timeline as to when it will make 5G available to its MVNOs. 

Alex Choros

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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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