The big three mobile carriers
Telstra held the largest market share of mobile services in the country, with Optus and Vodafone trailing behind. The three major mobile network operators have faced little competition from other operators; Telstra and Optus are two of the most valuable brands in Australia. Telstra’s network coverage is the highest in the country and its hold on the market has remained steady over the past decade. Following a merger with TPG, Vodafone Australia became a subsidiary of TPG Telecom in 2020, which has expanded TPG Telecom’s share of the mobile network market.Mobile internet
Telstra, Optus, and TPG Telecom are accelerating the 5G mobile network rollout in the country. Australia was one of the leading countries with the highest number of cities in which 5G is available. The implications of an extensive 5G network are significant and far-reaching across many different industries, particularly those dependent on the internet of things (IoT). Agriculture, healthcare, and mining are just a few examples of industries that have seen increased IoT usage in Australia.On the consumer side, mobile apps were mainly used for social networking, communicating, and entertainment. In 2019, over half of Australians would consider using 5G as an alternative to the National Broadband Network. The cost of mobile internet might be a limiting factor, with the median mobile retail cost ranging between two to four Australian dollars per gigabyte. Nevertheless, with faster and more reliable mobile internet becoming increasingly important for everyday activities and 5G continuing to be rolled out across the country, the mobile internet penetration looks set to continue rising.
