Is Vodafone finally fixing its network? What the mega-upgrade means for you

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Vodafone's network coverage has officially doubled, bringing faster, more reliable connections to more Australians.

Vodafone has expanded its network coverage to more than 1,000,000 square kilometres across Australia as of 30 January 2025.

This has tripled its regional sites and increased its population coverage to 98.4%, bringing it almost on par with Optus (98.5%).

It will benefit not only Vodafone customers but also smaller providers that use the Vodafone network such as felix, TPG (Vodafone's parent company), iiNet and Kogan.

Just pop in your address and device details on Vodafone's website to see if it's got you covered, plus whether you'll have access to both its 4G and 5G networks.

If you have a compatible phone and 5G is available, you'll enjoy faster speeds and a more reliable signal, even in crowded places.

Why is Vodafone doubling its network such big news?

Telstra, and to a lesser extent Optus, have dominated network coverage in regional Australia for years.

With this change, travellers and people in regional areas will have more mobile providers to choose from - not just those on the Optus or Telstra network.

More options mean more chances to save or snag a better deal!

"This doubling of our mobile network across Australia will supercharge our services providing better regional coverage, performance and speed," said Kieren Cooney, Vodafone group executive, consumer, data and analytics.

It will be a significant upgrade for the millions of Australians who want great value and great regional mobile coverage where they live or when they travel to the destinations Australians love to visit.

This has been made possible after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission gave Optus and TPG's $1.6 billion network-sharing deal the green light in September 2024.

Providers that offer mobile plans on the Vodafone network

Once 30 January rolls around and you've found the coverage map to favour where you live, you can hopefully start testing out other mobile providers.

Vodafone itself offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee to new customers. If you aren't satisfied with its network coverage within the first 30 days, you can get your money back.

Vodafone can be a great option if you're after a new phone on a plan, as only the big providers - Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone - offer them.

But if you're just looking for a mobile plan and want to save some money, check out these offers as well:

ProviderDataPriceSign me up!
Felix25GB$12.50 a month for 3 months, then $25 a month ongoing
Sign up
FelixUnlimited (download speeds capped at 20Mbps)$20 a month for 3 months, then $40 a month ongoing
Sign up
TPG25GB$12.50 a month for 6 months, then $25 a month ongoing
Sign up
iiNet50GB$17.50 a month for 6 months, then $35 a month ongoing
Sign up
Kogan140GB$119 for 1 recharge, then $150 per recharge ongoing
Sign up

Just keep in mind that coverage maps aren't always 100% accurate. Factors like building construction and new developments can affect signal strength. It's a good idea to test a plan for a month before committing to a long-term option.

What's happening to Optus's network coverage?

Optus can now accelerate its 5G rollout by 1,500 sites by 2028 and 2,444 by the end of 2030.

The telco giant says customers should start to experience the benefits already.

As part of the rollout, it's also introducing 5G+ to provide "broader coverage and greater capacity".

In short, it means eligible customers will have a better mobile experience in key regional areas like Busselton (WA), Orange (NSW), Toowoomba (QLD), Ballarat (VIC), and Launceston (TAS) among others.

It'll be interesting to see if Telstra and some of the smaller providers on its network raise mobile plan prices again this year, or will the extra competition put that on hold?

UPDATE 30 January 2025: We've updated our story to reflect Vodafone's network coverage doubling as of 30 January 2025 and added details on Optus launching 5G+.

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