Vodafone expands Australian coverage – thanks to Optus (smartphone)
‘Vodafone expands Australian coverage’ is not due to a massive build-up of a massive mobile phone towers. It is a $1.6 billion deal with Optus to access 2,4444 Optus 4G and 1500 5G sites.
At the time, ACCC commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.
“The ACCC carefully considered the arrangement proposed by Optus and TPG/Vodafone, as it represents a structural change to the mobile services landscape. TPG currently has significantly less infrastructure and coverage in regional areas compared to Telstra and, to a lesser extent, Optus. The improvement in TPG’s services during the term of this arrangement is likely to be greater than what TPG could have achieved on its own”.
The deal is for 11 years with a mutual agreement to extend for another five.
In the regional coverage areas, Optus will use certain TPG spectrum to supply mobile services, and Optus will, in turn, provide TPG with network services. TPG will decommission most of its sites in the coverage area, while some will be transferred to Optus.
TPG and Optus will continue to operate their own mobile networks in metropolitan areas, where 81.6% of Australia’s population lives.
It comes after the ACCC denied a similar TPG/Vodafone deal with Telstra as it could create a competition imbalance.
Optus will use some of the cash to increase the 5G roll-out to 2444 towers by the end of 2030.
What this means to CyberShack readers
If you can get an Optus mobile signal now, you should be able to get one on Vodafone. We doubt it will lead to price cuts as TPG/Vodafone needs to recoup the $1.6 billion. That figure is peanuts compared to having to build its infrastructure.
Vodafone expands Australian coverage – state-by-state coverage increase
State/Territory | New population coverage | Network area/coverage increase as % |
NSW/ACT | 98.4% | 89% |
VIC | 99.6% | 129% |
QLD | 98.1% | 312% |
SA | 99.2% | 257% |
WA | 97.3% | 182% |
TAS | 96.4% | 88% |
NT | 80.4% | 253% |
National | 98.4% | 168% |
NSW | |||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage |
Wagga Wagga | 15 | 87.7% | 98.9% |
South Coast | 15 | 89.0% | 95.4% |
Griffith – Murrumbidgee (West) | 9 | 88.9% | 98.8% |
Coffs Harbour | 13 | 86.5% | 95.3% |
Port Macquarie | 6 | 93.8% | 96.6% |
Regional holiday hotspot network coverage increases
QLD | |||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Voda population coverage | Expanded population coverage |
Gladstone | 9 | 88.6% | 98.0% |
Bundaberg | 12 | 93.5% | 99.9% |
Darling Downs (West) – Maranoa | 9 | 56.1% | 85.6% |
Bowen Basin – North | 7 | 34.5% | 93.6% |
Outback – South | 0 | 0.0% | 60.4% |
VIC | |||||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage | ||
Grampians | 6 | 69.6% | 97.5% | ||
Upper Goulburn Valley | 3 | 81.5% | 93.8% | ||
Murray River – Swan Hill | 5 | 50.9% | 96.5% | ||
Gippsland – South West | 3 | 67.3% | 98.1% | ||
Wodonga – Alpine | 3 | 81.0% | 95.4% |
WA | ||||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage | |
Wheat Belt – North | 12 | 49.6% | 83.6% | |
Augusta – Margaret River – Busselton | 11 | 99.1% | 99.4% | |
Wheat Belt – South | 5 | 47.1% | 70.9% | |
Bunbury | 20 | 99.4% | 99.6% | |
Albany | 6 | 80.1% | 89.0% |
NT | ||||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage | |
Daly – Tiwi – West Arnhem | 1 | 12.3% | 17.2% | |
Litchfield | 10 | 97.4% | 98.5% | |
Alice Springs | 5 | 78.4% | 78.5% | |
Katherine | 1 | 60.1% | 61.8% | |
Barkly | 0 | 0.0% | 58.6% |
ACT | |||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage |
Belconnen | 6 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Tuggeranong | 20 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Canberra East | 4 | 99.9% | 99.9% |
Uriarra – Namadgi | 24 | 79.4% | 84.6% |
SA | |||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage |
Murray and Mallee | 16 | 84.1% | 98.6% |
Eyre Peninsula and South West | 3 | 66.7% | 96.1% |
Limestone Coast | 16 | 90.1% | 98.5% |
Fleurieu – Kangaroo Island | 13 | 86.7% | 98.3% |
Lower North | 4 | 59.0% | 96.7% |
TAS | ||||
Region | Number of Vodafone sites | Previous population coverage | New population coverage | |
North East | 6 | 50.8% | 89.8% | |
Devonport | 3 | 81.2% | 98.4% | |
South East Coast | 5 | 75.2% | 97.9% | |
West Coast | 3 | 47.3% | 84.8% | |
Meander Valley – West Tamar | 3 | 84.3% | 93.1% |
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