- Telstra network coverage explained
- Tangerine vs. Telstra network coverage
- Boost vs. Telstra network coverage
- Belong vs. Telstra network coverage
- ALDI Mobile vs. Telstra network coverage
- Everyday Mobile vs. Telstra network coverage
- Exetel Mobile vs. Telstra network coverage
- Superloop vs. Telstra network coverage
- MVNOs compared
Few people realise that Telstra actually sells access on its network to other smaller providers, like ALDI Mobile, Boost Mobile and Everyday Mobile, just to name a few. These smaller providers are called Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), and the way they keep prices down is by having fewer overheads, like marketing or additional plan features.
Almost all Telstra MVNOs only have access to the Telstra "Wholesale" network — the lone exception being Boost Mobile, which does operate over the full Telstra network. The biggest difference between these two networks size, with the former accounting for just over half the physical footprint of the latter.
In this guide, we'll discuss how it all works, who these telcos are, the difference in mobile coverage between Telstra and smaller providers on its network, as well as plan costs and mobile broadband speed.
But first, here's a quick look at popular plans in our database from smaller telcos that use the Telstra network:
When plans have similar inclusions, the cheapest option isn’t always the best. One way to compare is on the value per GB. As a rule of thumb, anything at $1 or under per GB is good value.
Telstra network coverage explained
Telstra doesn't share its full access to its network with MVNOs. Just part of it. That more limited slice of Telstra's network is known as the Telstra Wholesale network. It covers just 1.4 million square kilometers where the full network accounts for 2.14 million square kilometres. Here's what this difference look like:

You might also find Telstra MVNOs put download limits on their mobile plans, whereas Telstra plans are uncapped.
To clarify, here's how coverage compares between Telstra, Optus and Vodafone and each of their respective MVNOs across both 4G and 5G coverage:
| Network | 4G coverage | 5G coverage | Network Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra network* | N/A | N/A | 2.14 mil square km |
| Telstra Wholesale network | N/A | N/A | 1.4 mil square km |
| Optus network | 99.1% | 94.5% | 1.2 million square km |
| Vodafone network | 99% | 94.5% | 1.2 million square km |
Numbers shown are a percentage of the Australian population.
*Telstra no longer provides population-based coverage figures. Boost Mobile is the only Telstra MVNO with access to the full Telstra network.
In many cases, cheaper plans from Telstra MVNOs are limited to 4G, while premium plans get some form of 5G access. This 4G limitation might feel like a red flag or bargain-bin option, but these 4G-only plans usually have a maximum download limit of 100Mbps — that's the same as an NBN 100 plan.
As long as Telstra Wholesale coverage is good in your area, you should get good enough speed to handle just about anything you might want to do on your phone.
Tangerine vs. Telstra network coverage
Tangerine Telecom's network: Telstra Wholesale
- 1.4 million square kilometers
Tangerine is another Telstra MVNO well worth a look if you're after a value-for-money plan. It's got a wide range of mobile plans that include unlimited calls and text, data banking, eSIM options and, for its 5G plans, calls to the top 15 countries included and discounts for bundling in your NBN plan.
If you're a Tangerine customer keen on travelling, Tangerine also offers a range of very flexible add-on international roaming packs. Some have a bit of everything while others just offer data. They can also be stacked together to build a custom plan. Tangerine even offers support for wearables like the Apple Watch via its Shared Number plans, which start at $10 per month.
Here's a look at Tangerine vs. Telstra:
| Features | Tangerine | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | * | ||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available | ^ |
Boost vs. Telstra network coverage
Boost Mobile's network: Full Telstra Network
- 2.14 million square kilometers
Despite having a bunch of handy features like eSIMs, international roaming packs and frequent promo deals, Boost plans are still more affordable than Telstra. Its plans also offer more data options than Telstra (meaning you won't be paying more for data than you're using), and it even has some solid long-expiry options. You will need to bring your own phone or choose from one of its refurbished handsets, but the provider's wide range of prepaid plans means you'll be sure to find something that suits you.
Boost Mobile is the only Telstra MVNO with coverage that uses the full Telstra network, despite not being owned by the larger telco. This means, when comparing Boost vs. Telstra, you'll get the same network coverage.
Here's a look at Boost vs. Telstra:
| Features | Boost Mobile | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | |||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available |
Belong vs. Telstra network coverage
Belong's network: Telstra Wholesale
- 1.4 million square kilometers
Belong is an MVNO owned and operated by Telstra, but isn't just a cheaper version of its parent company. As a subsidiary, you might expect similar coverage when comparing Belong vs. Telstra, but Belong operates over the Telstra Wholesale network, and so doesn't have full Telstra network access.
While Belong has just a handful of plans with small, medium, and large data allowances, these are all contract-free and with data-sharing options. Every Belong mobile plan comes with unlimited data banking and data gifting, allowing customers to take full advantage of their data allowance and share it with other Belong customers.
Here's a look at Belong vs. Telstra:
| Features | Belong | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | |||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available |
ALDI Mobile vs. Telstra network coverage
ALDI Mobile's network: Telstra Wholesale
- 1.4 million square kilometers
Much like the shopping giant itself, ALDI Mobile plans offer no-frills plans at lower prices. With no contracts and generous data inclusions for the price, you can give its plans a try and then switch without drama if you're not satisfied. And while it doesn't sell mobile phones on a plan, who knows? You might be able to nab one from a store's infamous middle aisle.
ALDI offers award-winning plans, including 30-day expiry plans and a 365-day long-expiry PAYG plan. There's also the option to bundle multiple SIMs onto a single family plan, which comes with handy data sharing features.
Here's a look at ALDI Mobile vs. Telstra:
| Features | ALDI Mobile | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | * | ||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available |
ALDI Mobile does offer a form of international roaming, but it's Pay As You Go (PAYG) and thus more expensive than most other international roaming inclusions
*On select plans.
Everyday Mobile vs. Telstra network coverage
Everyday Mobile's network: Telstra Wholesale
- 1.4 million square kilometers
This Woolworths-owned telco's mobile coverage is delivered via the Telstra Wholesale network. Everyday Mobile (formerly Woolworths Mobile) offers a unique deal to save its customers a bit more money each month.
The Fresh Food People's SIM-only plans come with no contract, and once a month you can save 10% off your shop (up to $50) once per month. You get to choose which shop to apply this to, so you don't have to worry about it auto-appending to that cheeky chocolate bar you grab on your way home from work. Everyday Mobile also offers eSIM connectivity for smartwatches like the Apple Watch and the Samsunsg Galaxy Watch.
By being an Everyday Mobile customer, you're also supporting its charitable work with OzHarvest — an Australian charity aimed at collecting surplus fresh food from over 500 Woolworths stores and delivering it to over 1,600 local charities.
Here's a look at Everyday Mobile vs. Telstra:
| Features | Everyday Mobile | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | * | ||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available |
*On select plans.
Exetel vs. Telstra network coverage
Exetel's Mobile's network: Telstra Wholesale
- 1.4 million square kilometers
Exetel's's mobile coverage is delivered via the Telstra Wholesale network and the provider's singular mobile plan comes with many of the same perks found through other MVNOs that use the Telstra network. This provider offers eSIM, 1000GB of data banking, unlimited international talk and text to 15 countries, and free incoming SMS while abroad.
Here's a look at Exetel Mobile vs. Telstra:
| Features | Exetel | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | |||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available |
Superloop vs. Telstra network coverage
Superloop's network: Telstra Wholesale
- 1.4 million square kilometers
Superloop's mobile coverage is delivered via the Telstra Wholesale network. That puts it on par with almost every other MVNO that uses the Telstra network, but it's not the only thing this provider has going for it.
Superloop's prepaid mobile plans also come with no-contract, eSIM support, a 1000GB data bank, and unlimited standard international calls & SMS to 15 countries. Lastly, you can save up to $15 per month on the cost of your internet if you bundle together both services via Superloop.
Here's a look at Superloop vs. Telstra:
| Features | Superloop | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||
| Prepaid | |||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||
| Phone payment plans | |||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||
| Unlimited data | |||
| Data banking or rollover | |||
| Data gifting | |||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||
| International roaming packs | |||
| 5G access | * | ||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||
| eSIM available |
*On select plans.
MVNOs compared
Now we've seen each of these popular MVNOs compared against Telstra, how do they stack up against each other?
| Features | Belong | Boost | ALDI Mobile | Everyday Mobile | Tangerine | Exetel | Superloop | Telstra postpaid | Telstra prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid | |||||||||
| Prepaid | |||||||||
| Uses full Telstra network | |||||||||
| Phone payment plans | |||||||||
| Unlimited talk and text | |||||||||
| Unlimited data | |||||||||
| Data banking or rollover | |||||||||
| Data gifting | |||||||||
| Data sharing or family plans | |||||||||
| International roaming packs | |||||||||
| 5G access | * | * | * | * | |||||
| Uncapped 5G speed | |||||||||
| eSIM available |
*On select plans.
If it's reception you're after, Boost Mobile's coverage footprint is bigger than the other MVNOs, thanks to its unique deal with Telstra that nets it access to the full network. The difference is small for 4G coverage, but for 5G it's significant.
Belong comes ahead on data, thanks to unlimited data banking data gifting and unlimited data. That last feature is full-speed data up to your allowance before your plan is slowed to 1.5Mbps – basically it means you can still access the internet (to a degree) with no excess data charges.
Generally, the more perks you get from a provider or plan, the more you can expect to pay.
Plans from these MVNOs
We've looked at the included features and perks of going with each of the above Telstra providers, so you might be wondering how their pricing compares.
Here's a look at how the cheapest monthly plans with at least 20GB of data from each of these telcos compare, ranked by price for at least the first six months:
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram