What is the difference between 4G and 5G phone plans?

Mobile Phone & Internet Blog | MATE | 19 September 2022

4G has been the network standard in Australia for years now. When it first came on the scene back in 2008 it represented a massive technological leap forward from its 3G predecessor. But with the growing rollout of the new 5G network infrastructure, Australian mobile devices are en route to a new status quo of cellular technology. With more and more phone plans now offering 5G network capabilities, you might be wondering – ‘What’s the difference between 5G vs 4G mobile plans?’ In this blog, we’re going to answer all that, and more.

Firstly, what are 4G and 5G mobile networks?

5G is the fifth generation of mobile network technology. Just like 4G (fourth generation) did to 3G, this new jump in innovation is projected to provide faster download speeds, lower latency, greater network capacity and better connectivity.

4G vs 5G mobile plans

Functionality

Understandably, much of the difference between 4G and 5G mobile plans will come from what each network generation is able to deliver in terms of functionality.

Faster speeds

Even with the new network still coming into its own across the country, 5G speeds are already sitting around the 100-1000Mbps range, a big step up from the 4G sub-100 Mbps average. This means that 5G mobile device and phone plan users will enjoy download speeds that are several times faster than the current standard.

At MATE, the network capability of our 5G mobile plan has access to download speeds of 10Mbps up to a speed cap of 250Mbps on 5G across 75% of the population.

Network capacity

Unlike 4G which can be overwhelmed by a sharp spike in network traffic, 5G is well on its way to solving this issue with enhanced network capacity that could accommodate up to 100x more traffic, leading to a seamless online experience. This means that 5G plans and connected devices can say goodbye to slow loading times in crowded spaces.

Cost

While 5G mobile plans may have come with a noticeably higher price tag when the network was first being rolled out across major cities, today there’s little, if any, difference in cost between 4G and 5G mobile packages.

In fact, when it comes to yours truly, MATE is currently offering 4 cracking 5G mobile plans!

Compatible mobile device

It’s important to note that in order to access the enhanced functionality of 5G phone plans, you will need a 5G compatible handset. The good news is that while this may call for a device upgrade, 5G mobile phones have only gotten cheaper over the years, so you won’t be hard-pressed to find an affordable option.

Coverage

The expansion of 5G has certainly made some good headway over the past few years. Our MATE mobile service, for example, provides 5G Coverage reaching at least 75% of the Australian population, using parts of Telstra’s 5G mobile network. But even with such a massive reach, 5G is yet to match the coverage currently offered by 4G.

So before you go and sign up to a 5G mobile plan, it’s important to know whether your area has 5G network coverage. To check the 5G status of your area you can use the MATE network coverage map.

Get 5G with MATE!

Experience 5G for yourself with MATE’s new 5G mobile plans, powered by 5G!

Already have 5G coverage in your area and a 5G compatible device ready to go? Then make the switch to a MATE 5G plan!

Our 5G plans are below:

Great Mates 32GB 5G

• 32GB of mobile data per month
• 500GB of banked data
• Unlimited talk & text to standard Aussie numbers
• Unlimited international phone calls & SMS to selected 15 countries

Best Mates 50GB 5G

• 50GB of mobile data per month
• 500GB of banked data
• Unlimited talk & text to standard Aussie numbers
• Unlimited international phone calls & SMS to selected 15 countries

Brilliant Mates 65GB 5G

• 65GB of mobile data per month
• 1000GB of banked data
• Unlimited talk & text to standard Aussie numbers
• Unlimited international phone calls & SMS to selected 15 countries

Soul Mates 150GB 5G

• 150GB of mobile data per month
• 1000GB of banked data
• Unlimited talk & text to standard Aussie numbers
• Unlimited international phone calls & SMS to selected 15 countries

All on the 5G network!

For more information about 5G, you can visit our dedicated 5G mobile page.

👉  Sign-up for one of our 4G or 5G postpaid mobile plans today!

¹ Selected plans only. 15 selected countries are not interchangeable.