Telstra’s new 5G network has started to rollout in Wallan, with parts of the town among the first outer-suburban locations to gain access to the network.
While only parts of Wallan will receive 5G coverage, the network will continue to expand as the rollout continues across the country.
Wallan was identified by Telstra as one of the key locations near Melbourne to begin the 5G rollout, alongside Healesville and the Mornington Peninsula, as part of the telco’s commitment to rolling out the network in 35 cities and regional locations by June.
Telstra regional general manager Steve Tinker said the faster network was a game changer for residents and businesses.
“This is a game-changer for locals and businesses in Wallan and will provide Telstra customers using 5G devices with higher speeds, lower latency and greater capacity, especially in peak times when the network can be at its busiest,” he said.
“There’ll also be flow-on benefits to our 4G users with upgrades to our mobile network in Wallan improving capacity for all our mobile customers.”
The 5G service will enable people to download in seconds, not minutes, stream seamlessly and game in real-time.
Lower latency means the delay between transmitting and processing through the network is much shorter, which not only leads to better gaming and video conferencing but is critically important for the automotive industry’s push towards autonomous vehicles.
In real world testing in regional Victoria, Telstra 5G reached speeds over 728 megabits per second, more than seven times faster than current maximum home broadband internet speeds.
To use 5G, people will need a 5G enabled phone, 5G coverage and a 5G mobile plan. If they move to an area where there is not 5G, their phone will revert to the next fastest technology i.e. 4GX or 4G.
