Telstra and Optus announced this week that both would launch 5G services next year, and the general response was “sure, but it’s not like they’re going to give us a lot of data, so who cares?”
Will this be the case? I’m not so sure. One of the key benefits of 5G technology is a big increase in network capacity, so I’m quietly optimistic about how this will play out.
And, if you needed evidence of the sort of data we might see, you should look at some of the plans that are on offer today.
Granted, these plans aren’t exactly cheap and you may need to factor in phone repayments costs, but that is some serious data.
The great thing about a big data plans with Telstra, Optus or Vodafone is that you can tap into a Data Sharing feature and get separate SIM cards for a number of different devices. After all, you might find it difficult to get through 200GB on just your phone.
With that many bytes to get through you could put SIM cards all over the place. In an old phone that stays in the car, in a modem for your caravan or holiday house, or one at your grandma’s place who doesn’t believe in the internet.
For most other people, a plan with 20GB or more is still a lot of data, and there are plenty of these plans available.
Keep an eye on the plans from some of the smaller providers that included 3G services only. These plans are a bargain, but the slower speeds won’t be for everyone.
Joe Hanlon is Publisher at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website. He’s been writing about phones and plans for far too long.