Mobile coverage shake-up: Is Telstra still ahead of Optus and Vodafone?
Key takeaways
- Australia's mobile coverage maps have changed, with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone now calculating and displaying coverage using the same standardised system for the first time.
- Telstra's map has shrunk significantly under the new standard, but its footprint of 2.14 million sq km is still larger than Optus and Vodafone.
- The new rules were introduced to make it easier for Australians to compare mobile networks and trust that the coverage shown on a map reflects where their phone will actually work.
Australia's mobile coverage maps now look different, with new rules from the Australian Communications and Media Authority requiring all three major networks to display coverage the same way for the first time.
What's changed with Australia's mobile coverage maps?
From 30 June 2026, Telstra, Optus and Vodafone must all use the same four-category system on their coverage maps: good, moderate, basic or no coverage.
This also applies to smaller mobile providers that use their network, such as Boost Mobile, amaysim and felix.
The categories are based on signal strength, and if the map says you have coverage, your phone should actually work there. That's the big change.
| Category | What it means |
|---|---|
| Good | A high-quality outdoor mobile experience under typical conditions. Generally suitable for voice calls and a range of data activities such as messaging, browsing and video streaming. |
| Moderate | A stable and consistent experience with minimal disruptions. Reliable for everyday outdoor use, such as voice calls, messaging and many data activities, although higher-demand activities such as video streaming may be less consistent. |
| Basic | An adequate experience that's generally reliable for simple tasks like voice calls and messaging. Basic data activities will usually be possible, although performance may be slower and less consistent. |
| No coverage | No or very limited predicted coverage at that location. Any connection would be incidental and inconsistent. |
Previously, each network set its own rules for what counted as "covered."
While Optus and TPG (Vodafone's parent company) have welcomed the new rules since they were first introduced back in March, Telstra wasn't convinced then, and isn't now.
Here's what a spokesperson said.
While we don't agree with the approach ACMA ultimately took, the new maps will still show what our customers already know and why more regional Australians choose us: Telstra's coverage footprint is vastly larger than any other mobile network.
How does Telstra's coverage compare to Optus and Vodafone now?
Telstra still has the largest footprint, but it's lost an area the size of NSW.
Under the new standard, Telstra's coverage area is over 2.14 million square kilometres.
Optus and Vodafone each sit at around 1.2 million sq km, meaning Telstra's network is still more than 900,000 sq km larger than either competitor.
For Vodafone, the new maps show a modest improvement, with population coverage now increasing from 98.5% to 99% for 4G, while 5G sits at 94.5%.
That's largely thanks to its regional network-sharing agreement with Optus, which came into effect last year.
Optus says 4G population coverage has increased from 98.5% to 99.11%, while its 5G network now reaches 94.5% of the population, up from 91.86%.
Telstra, meanwhile, has stopped publishing population coverage figures altogether.
Instead, it says landmass is a better way to measure network size because it reflects the true reach of its network rather than just the coverage of fixed addresses.
Does this mean your coverage has actually changed?
No. All three networks have been clear that no towers have been switched off and no physical coverage has changed.
What's changed is how coverage is displayed.
If you're in a rural or remote area that previously appeared as "covered" on Telstra's map, it may now show as "no coverage" - even if your phone still picks up a signal there.
Telstra has said customers continue using its network in many of those areas, and that its network still offers the same strength and reach it always has.
"The map might look different, but our network and coverage haven't changed," a Telstra spokesperson said.
"Telstra's network still offers the same strength and reach, backed by at least 2,000 more mobile sites than any other provider."
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