The reality is that despite their claims of covering 98% or more of the population there are still vast areas of the country not covered by any mobile phone networks, so you need to have some sort of satellite communications backup. Telstra's mobile network covers 99.4% of the population making it the farthest reaching network in the country. Telstra's excess fee's are insane – charging $450+ for usage Optus … ... Optus vs Telstra!! just saw an update that in three weeks time Telstra will be available in williams creek, they are digging the pit now. In inner Ballarat recently the Telstra … Telstra is the biggest mobile provider in Australia by a long shot and only a few years ago there was no decision to make when choosing a mobile provider for your trip around Australia. Tutela found 97.7% of the Telstra and Optus network met the threshold for core consistent quality in common coverage areas. Today you don’t need to choose one or the other because for around $10.00 to $15.00 per month extra, you can have BOTH. Had read that Optus had recently installed a tower under the Federal Black Spot program. This gives you both unlimited calls a text messages, coverage on both networks and a reasonably low overall cost per month. With 5G likely to have an impact on data … I just keep the iPhone 6 charged and stored away in my kit so I can grab it out when I need it. Hi Steve good thoughts there Im with Telstra & did a trip up thru the centre last year had service in all townships thou it soon dropped out once you got out of town a bit, but in saying that still got service along the road in areas where I think there are major outback farms etc When planning my trip I started looking at some sort of back up plan as you just never know what can happen or what you may come across. Network & Coverage > Optus vs Telstra!! Your email address will not be published. Telstra or Optus? Great article. With no running cost or subscription required, keep a PLB in your glovebox maintenance free for up to 10 years and it will be available to get help if you find yourself in a serious situation out of phone range. Love to hear more. Get the best deals, news and tips delivered directly to your inbox. Check your coverage and if you're ready to put yourself back on the telco market why not give a Vodafone MVNO a go? Just one thing I’d add for another satellite communication aid. Never had to use it but gave us peace of mind it was on the caravan, especially on those long uninhabited stretches. Standard on Telstra and Optus in mobile ping and speed has deteriorated last 3 years. Per cost basis Optus is offering awesome deals when comparing pre paid plans and month to month. Ive been shopping around for an iphone, will probably wait till jun for when the new one comes out with the 5 megapixel camera. Telstra vs Optus coverage in country WA I'm thinking of switching to Optus when I sign my next contract due to the fact that Optus is a fair bit cheaper. While Telstra covers 99.4% of Australia's population the network used by MVNOs covers just 98.8% to the exclusion of Boost Mobile which has unfettered access to the full network. On arrival found great Optus and Telstra coverage. If you’re in a city or larger town, you … We will do things differently next time with regards to the phones & your information will be very helpful. Optus … What's the best plan for international calls? This kind of coverage should be fine for the vast majority of Aussies (duh) but more remote customers may suffer. Stepping up from a PLB, a Spot Gen 3 Satellite Messenger will also give you 100% coverage across Australia in case of emergency but also has more day to day functionality. Optus argued in court that consumers could assume Telstra's 'unlimited' mobile network ads refer to unlimited network coverage and unthrottled data speeds; Telstra argued the industry is … Thanks David, yep the InReach is also a definite option as well. Telstra and Optus are battling over 5G readiness in Australia. If I make a call it 99c or $1 a minute and SMS msg are 50c each. There is no additional cost or inconvenience to you. Exactly Graeme at under $300 a PLB is cheap insurance - a relatively small investment given its 10 year battery life and priceless if you find yourself actually needing to use it one day! Vodafone's MVNOs have access to the entire Vodafone network so opting for something cheaper won't cost you coverage. For $15 prepaid you can have a year's access (on a $5 SIM). To avoid disappointment rural Aussies should double check the coverage available in their area before committing to a new plan. Satellite phones definitely fill the gap where mobile networks don’t but even if you have a satellite phone, you’ll still want to use your Telstra or Optus mobile wherever possible as it is substantially cheaper. ie... breadth, not quality. I'm also the founder and Chief Blogger of Expedition Australia. First and foremost, there’s coverage. Telstra claims to reach more than 99% of the population and when you look at their coverage map compared with Optus above you can see they have a wider reach in the regional … If you're Vo-curious then you can test it out for 30 days and if you're not happy you can opt out - no strings attached. When you see a 'promoted product' or a product with a 'go to site' button it means that WhistleOut is earning a transaction click fee for the referral. Like the Spot Gen-3, the Spot X 2-Way requires a subscription so will have a higher ongoing cost than a PLB but also provide more functionality for you money. A Spot Gen 3 does require a subscription so will ultimately cost more to own but it gives you more features including the ability to send your location on a regular basis so your family and friends can follow your journey online and it can also send pre-defined messages like 'MADE IT TO CAMP OKAY'. I went & got an mobile phone external antenna to give me a bit more range on the Telstra network & 2, a PLB as I could carry it with me if I was off the beaten track or walking some where away from the car. We dont have a boat but bought an Epirb b4 we took off on our lap of Oz. hello. In Australia’s largest cities, Telstra users experience a significantly faster average download speed of 51.6 Mbps, compared with Optus … Optus also has the cheaper plan when compared to Telstra’s HTC 5G Hub’s, and it’s unlimited; Telstra’s plans range from $75 to $104 and none of them is unlimited. Woolworths Mobile offers service on the Telstra network. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all invest billions of dollars in their networks each year, improving everything from coverage in rural areas to download speeds and capacity. While Telstra is the clear winner in “major cities” in terms of 4G download speeds and availability, Optus comes out slightly ahead in regional and remote Australia. Find out more. On a recent road trip from Melbourne to the East Kimberly and back, I was surprised at how far Optus had extended its reach in the outback. This feature is the first of its kind, and empowers you to make better decisions when it comes to which carrier you go with. 5G Should Be Free. Thousands of mobile phone plans unpacked. It can be a satellite phone which is the most versatile but most expensive option. I would be very interested in exploring this option further. Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone each have their own mobile networks, and so coverage can differ from provider to provider. Phone plans are not as expensive as they were just a few short years ago. If you’re a couple or a family you could potentially have one phone on one network and the other phone on the other network. WhistleOut never makes unsolicited calls and we never ask for credit card details. we use a sat phone when there is nothing else. The signal it transmits is also stronger than a satellite phone and more likely to ‘punch through’ tree coverage and overcast skies. While there are significantly less Vodafone MVNOs you can still get a great deal. Here are our most popular Optus SIM-only plans. So if I am working away I text my wife who then calls me on the mobile. . Telstra wholesale network which it's MVNOs use is similar but not identical. It came in very handy heading up through Outback SA last year! . If your main phone plan is using the Telstra Network (like mine is) all you need to do is buy a cheap 'SIM only' plan that uses the Optus 4G network from someone like Amaysim or Southern Phone.