Since early 2020 Vodafone has been testing 5G in Parramatta. We hadn’t heard a whole lot about it, but as it turns out the telco started quietly rolling it out to other areas. Here are the suburbs that now have access.
Vodafone 5G
This is the first significant step we have seen Vodafone take to start catching up to its competitors in market. While Telstra and Optus are stilling rolling their respective 5G networks out, they’re far more robust. Both telcos began rolling 5G out in 2019.
At the present time Vodafone isn’t charging extra for 5G access. So long as you have a 5G-enabled phone it should work in the areas its been rolled out to.
But that could change in the future. Back in December 2029 Vodafone told Gizmodo Australia it would not charge extra for 5G.
“We will be announcing our 5G plans early next year and we have no plans to charge customers extra to use 5G,” a Vodafone spokesperson said in an email on December 30, 2020.
The telco backflipped on this in June, 2020.
“During the roll out phase, it is important to recognise that 5G coverage is not ubiquitous and customers therefore may or may not be accessing 5G services from time to time. So for the foreseeable future, Vodafone made a clear decision not to charge extra for 5G on current phone plans,” a spokesperson told Gizmodo Australia.
A Vodafone spokesperson said in a follow up phone call that it would be fair to say that the company is not ruling out charging for 5G on future plans.
But to be fair, all three major Australian telcos have not ruled out charging extra for 5G in one way or another.
Here’s some Vodafone plans that will work with 5G:
And here’s some with phones attached, in case you need a new one:
Vodafone 5G suburbs
If you were wondering if Vodafone 5G is available in your area, here’s a list of the suburbs it has been rolled out to.
ACT
- Phillip
NSW
- Breakfast Point
- Denham Court
- Granville
- Jamisontown
- Merrylands
- North Parramatta
- North Ryde
- North Sydney
- Northmead
- Parramatta
- Pennant Hills
- Rosehill
- St Leonards
- Sydney
- Villawood
- Woodpark
- Yennora
QLD
- •Ashmore
- Coopers Plains
- Goodna
- Sunnybank Hills
- Surfers Paradise
- Upper Mount Gravatt
SA
- Adelaide
- Aldinga Beach
- Netley
- Norwood
- Wingfield
VIC
- Braybrook
- Broadmeadows
- Doncaster
- Footscray
- Hoppers Crossing
- Melton South
- Moonee Ponds
- Murrumbeena
- Pakenham
- Prahran
- South Melbourne
- St Kilda
- Sunshine North
- Thomastown
- Wantirna South
- Williamstown North
WA
- Baldivis
- Canningvale
- Jandakot
- Rockingham
Coverage Map
If you’re not sure if you have 5G access in your area through Telstra or Optus, this 5G coverage comparison map created by Whistleout will tell you.
It lets you see whether 5G has come to your area. It doesn’t include Vodafone yet as its too new, but it will in the future.
And if you want something even less hands on, this tool will tell you if your address has 5G coverage. All you need to do is add your address when searching for a phone plan and the internet squirrels will let you know if you’re in luck.