Telstra's new 5G modem is also a portable battery

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 20 March 2024

Telstra has launched a new portable 5G modem, simply known as the Telstra 5G Hotspot. In addition to doing exactly what it says on the tin, the new modem also doubles as a portable battery that can be used to top up phones and other small devices thanks to a 10,000mAh cell.

The battery provides up to 16 hours of connectivity, but that will naturally decrease if you're also using the Telstra 5G Hotspot to charge another device. You'll charge the hotspot via USB-C, but it has a full-size USB-A port for charging other devices. This port is rated 18W, so it can still facilitate basic fast charging.

Otherwise, the Telstra 5G Hotspot isn't that unusual for a portable hotspot. It has a 2.4-inch touchscreen for navigation, supports WiFi 6, and weighs 303g. One novel feature is NFC Quick Connect. Tapping an Android phone on the Telstra 5G Hotspot will instantly connect it to the modem's WiFi.

The Telstra 5G Hotspot only supports Sub 6 5G; it doesn't have mmWave support like the portable modem it replaced. Telstra does still sell Netgear's Nighthawk M6 Pro as a mmWave-compatible option.

If you're looking to get the Telstra 5G Hotspot outright, it will cost $319, making it one of the cheapest 5G portable modems to date. Most other options have started at around $400.

You can also get the Telstra 5G Hotspot on a plan on a 36-month, 24-month, or 12-month repayment plan. You'll pay $8.86 per month on a 36-month term, but this needs to be paired with one of Telstra's mobile broadband plans, which start at $25 per month with 30GB.

Here's the full range:

Upfront Data Plan Small

Mobile Broadband
30GB Data

$33/mth

Min. cost $33

Link not supplied

$33/mth

Min. cost $33

Link not supplied

Upfront Data Plan Medium

Mobile Broadband
100GB Data

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

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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