The Telstra Wholesale 5G service will be available from July, initially reaching more than 75% of Australians along with new IOT products
Telstra is set to open its 5G network to mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) giving more customers potential access to the next-generation mobile technology.
The news is a game-changer for Telstra Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), who are smaller telcos that purchase wholesale network access from Telstra to then sell on to customers via mobile plans.
The 5G network currently covers a slightly over 75 percent of the population, with plans to reach 95 percent population coverage by 2025.
Glenn Osborne, Executive, Sales and Wholesale Segment, Telstra Wholesale said this expanded portfolio of services was about meeting the needs of a rapidly evolving mobile market.
“The ability for our MVNO customers to offer a premium 5G mobile plan, as part of their suite of mobile solutions, provides even more possibilities for these customers to unlock new growth opportunities and attract different audiences seeking the performance benefits and capacity of 5G,” said Osborne in a statement.
Telstra also said it would wholesale a “new customisable IoT product range”, including a specific IoT product that MVNOs will be able to offer.
The 5G service plans will incorporate existing 4G plan features and will provide typical download speeds of 10-250Mbps – helping to enhance end customers’ streaming, gaming, business and social media experiences.
Telstra also wants to target the wearable device market with “connectivity solutions for new market entrants to provide watches, cameras, pendants and other consumer devices with connectivity to their consumers. final”.
Also launching at Business Connect are Telstra Wholesale’s new customisable IOT product range includes four key innovations for its Wholesale customers:
- IOT connectivity for existing scale IOT: providers to provide value added connectivity on Telstra’s mobile network including the CatM1 network.
- Wearables and consumer IOT: connectivity solutions for new market entrants to provide watches, cameras, pendants and other consumer devices with connectivity to their end consumers.
- Value added connectivity for MVNOs: for existing MVNOs to extend their range beyond mobile handheld and mobile broadband solutions leveraging their own proposition and devices on the platform they already use
- Telstra’s innovative Track and Monitor product: a connectivity and device solution with enhanced service layers, suitable for the transport and logistics segment. This is leveraging award winning Telstra devices harmonised for the Telstra network.
Currently, around ten Australian mobile providers offer service on Telstra’s 4G and 3G mobile networks, including ALDI Mobile, Boost Mobile, Woolworths Mobile, Lycamobile and Telstra subsidiary Belong.
If these MVNOs decide to buy 5G in bulk from Telstra once the product becomes available, they will then be able to sell 5G-ready mobile plans to customers, potentially at a cheaper price than what is currently offered by Telstra.
To use 5G on a Telstra or MVNO plan, customers need a 5G-enabled smartphone or home hotspot, in addition to being in an area with 5G coverage. Woolworths Mobile is already selling on schedule a range of 5G-capable phones, including new versions such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 series and the OPPO Find X5 series.
“In a break from traditional wholesaling, we are offering more value-added solutions than ever before. We know our wholesale customers have diverse needs for connectivity, and so we have developed a series of innovative new products to address these needs.” said Osborne
“We’re excited to grow these through our wholesale channel and provide even greater access to our world class mobile network,” he said.
While it’s impossible to say how much Telstra MVNOs will charge for 5G calling plans — or even which telecom operators are likely to add Telstra 5G to their offering — there’s a good chance all 5G options from smaller carriers will be cheaper than them relevant Telstra plans.
For customers who want the benefits of high-speed 5G but are put off by Telstra’s prices, a cheaper alternative could be available by the end of the year.
