Vodafone won't charge extra for 5G

Vodafone today announced that it will switch on its 5G network in the first half of 2020, starting with Parramatta in New South Wales. While the telco has yet to detail its 5G offering, a spokesperson confirmed that Vodafone customers will have 5G network access at no extra cost.

"We will be announcing our 5G plans early next year and we have no plans to charge customers extra to use 5G," said a Vodafone spokesperson.

For comparison, Telstra intends to charge for a premium access to its 5G network. All Telstra customers currently have free 5G, but only until the middle of 2020. After the end of June, 5G will only be included as a standard feature on Telstra's two priciest plans, billed at $80 and $100 per month, respectively, excluding handset repayment fees. All other Telstra customers will pay an extra $15 per month for 5G connectivity.

Optus says it won't charge extra for access to its 5G network in the short term, but hasn't ruled out doing so in the future. Optus customers who purchase a 5G handset have the option to double their data allowance for an extra $10 per month, however.

Parramatta will be the first location where Vodafone's 5G network will be available. The telco has yet to provide details on other locations will be part of its initial 5G network build, or if any other sites will go live in the first half of 2020.

Read more about 5G here.

Alex Choros

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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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