5G Telco Coverage - CBD, Ryde, and Liverpool Areas

axloz on 10/12/2024 - 15:00

Hi guys, I'm thinking of changing telco's and getting a new phone on a plan for 12 or 24 months. I'm currently with Woolworths Mobile, which is generally pretty good at the key locations I frequent, being Sydney CBD, Ryde, and Liverpool. I undertand WW use the Telstra wholesale network, and my current phone is only 4g. The only times it isn't so good is when I'm on a train between the above areas (changing in Strathfield).

So with a new phone I will move to the 5g network. My questions here are:

  1. is it worth paying extra for Telstra?
  2. is Vodafone any good in these areas?
  3. are there any other carriers or 12/24 month phone+plan deals OzB would recommend?

Optus is not a telco I'm willing to consider. I've found them painful to deal with in the past..

Appreciate any thoughts/advice!

Mobile

Comments

  • jv on 10/12/2024 - 15:07
    +2

    is it worth paying extra for Telstra?

    No

    • ihfree on 10/12/2024 - 18:06
      +1

      I'll go the other way and say yes.

      I generally do Boost with Vodafone in-between.

      In my experience, Vodafone doesn't work as well on trains. It also has connectivity issues when driving all over Sydney. Vodafone also isn't as good in country areas near Sydney.

    • GordonD on 10/12/2024 - 22:06

      Had to. In my outer suburban area I can see all three carriers' towers. But the other two carriers just provide a little pool of 5G coverage around the tower, and in certain directions using directional antennas to ensure too many customers can't use 5G. Yes, they direct the signal to minimise the number of people who get 5G, not to maximise it. Telstra simply provides blanket coverage over the whole area. So, no choice.

      • axloz on 10/12/2024 - 22:32

        Yeah, I'd heard things like this happening several years ago with 4g.. Was hoping it might be a thing of the past but it seems not.. Sounds like Telstra is the way to go, and pay the extra..

      • jv on 11/12/2024 - 09:29

        So, no choice.

        Boost

  • jv on 10/12/2024 - 15:08
    +3

    Optus is not a telco I'm willing to consider. I've found them painful to deal with in the past..

    So you've never used Telstra in the past…

    • axloz on 10/12/2024 - 15:20

      Not for several years. I found them good to deal with in the past, or I at least didn't have any issues I needed to contact them to resolve..

      Optus on the other hand started charging me for daily roaming when I was overseas, even though my plan had no roaming attached to it (ie it wasn't included in my plan or service agreement..). Then when I returned to AU a few weeks later they had disabled my sim and said it would take 2 weeks to re-activate it.. I just ported out at that point.

      • jv on 10/12/2024 - 15:21
        +1

        I found them good to deal with in the past

        Reported for Sock puppeting…

  • geekcohen on 10/12/2024 - 15:40

    Try the new phone on your current Telco and see if you notice a difference. Consider a different telco if the results are the same.

    Sometimes network traffic can impact your performance. Because there is only 4G/5G now with no 3G, there is more strain on most likely 4G vs 5G, plus 5G has more capacity in general. So you might find its better on the same telco.

    • jv on 10/12/2024 - 15:49

      Try the new phone on your current Telco and see if you notice a difference

      They might not be on one of the 5G plans…

      • geekcohen on 10/12/2024 - 15:50

        Fair point. Upgrade the current Telco to the 5G plan.

    • axloz on 10/12/2024 - 15:57
      +1

      Yeah I could just buy a phone outright and keep using WW mobile, they do have a 5g plan..

      Negates the idea of going on a 12/24 month plan, but that might be a better way to do it anyway..

  • Gdsamp on 10/12/2024 - 15:51
    -1

    are you up to date with your Covid vaccines

    • jv on 10/12/2024 - 16:06

      no

    • ihfree on 10/12/2024 - 17:52

      That 5G connection is only usable by the nanites.

  • GordonD on 10/12/2024 - 21:58
    -1

    For dog's sake, why ask us? The carriers provide coverage maps. All you've got to do is look at them.

    • axloz on 10/12/2024 - 22:29

      Not sure what my dog has to do with this…?

      I'm asking because coverage maps always say the coverage is amazing, but they don't publish anything about how utilised their network is and it can result in annoying 'network busy' messages where there's too much saturation.

      Also, question 3 - are there any other carriers or 12/24 month phone+plan deals OzB would recommend?

    • geekcohen on 11/12/2024 - 05:43
      +2

      The carriers provide coverage maps. All you've got to do is look at them.

      Yeah, says there is coverage, doesn't say what the performance is.

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