Mobile Phone Coverage for a Big Lap

Telstra, hands down imo.

Regards

Boost uses exactly the same infrastructure as Telstra but gives you more internet data than Telstra.

When we went around last year I was on a Telstra phone, on a $40.00 per month plan getting 1gig of data and $500 worth of free calls.
The wife had a prepaid with Boost, unlimited calls and was getting 9 gig of data a month for $40.00.
I see you can get 11 gig of data and unlimited phone call now for $50.00 a month.

See here

Cheers

Telstra always gets the gong here !

Boost is owned by Telstra so should be equal although a lot of the cheaper phone providers who use Telstra network do not have access to the full Telstra network and tend to mainly just pay for larger city connectivity.

In the outback Telstra is the provider with by far the greatest coverage, but they are not everywhere mind you. Their advertisements cleverly say they cover 98% of the population, and they probably do . But they do not cover 98% of the land mass and there are lots of areas of no reception once you are off the beaten track.

Exceptions might be on the major highways especially in WA when coverage was always good.

My wife has an Optus phone which is fine in larger towns e.g.; Broome, Mt Isa, Pt Headland but 25 k outside these centres - nothing.

In summary. Telstra 1,2 and 3

Hi Gazza
Telstra also services many mine sites. Thus you can often get coverage when it is not expected. Thus you suddenly get a mail or message update in the strangest and most isolated places. Nevertheless coverage is sporadic away from towns thus a back up such as a sat phone is worthwhile considering. Iridium phones will work using your Telstra mobile sim. Not sure of the details but there is another thread on the forum that discusses this.

Telstra as everybody has already mentioned however bit more technical than that.

for best country reception blue tick approved phone, then due to infrastructure upgrades it will need to be a 4GX phone.

In past 5 or so months (read late last year) i had no option but to get a new phone.

I was only given a option of 4GX esp as I need/want the external antenna capability, which when you read telstra technical info is a requirement for full blue tick approval - the sales mob from TSA will tell you its not required which is bovine excrement.

Think of it this way would you expect a UHF radio inside a vehicle to operate properly inside a vehicle without a external antenna ?

I was skeptical of the 4gx network against the next g system and admit its better, simply because at one location (kwoylin) I had no coverage and had to drive to bruce rock for decent comms,

Same location on 4gx few weeks ago I had usable data/comms on mobile phone

It depends on whether you need cover most of the time or are happy to be without cover for a few days or even weeks in more remote areas and when camping in many national parks which are outside of mobile cover.

I recommend you download Staying in Touch on the Road. This very comprehensive e-publication is available for a donation to the RFDS ($5 minimum).

Hi Gazza. Telstra is the only option and will work over the others. If you do not have an external aerial make sure you get a "Blue Tick" phone. Ask at the Telstra shop which phones have the tick. These phones are designed with a more powerful in-built in antenna to work in more remote places.

Cheers,

Mike