26 July, 2023
Oakey gets 5G
Telstra has announced that it has finished upgrading its Oakey network to 5G.
It means maintenance work on Oakey’s mobile network is now complete, after nine days worth of interrupted coverage.
Regional General Manager for Telstra in Queensland May Boisen said the work would mean better mobile service through new 5G and upgraded 4G coverage in Oakey.
“Telstra is currently upgrading its mobile base station in Oakey to bring better 4G services and new 5G coverage, but this has meant a series of temporary outages in mobile coverage in recent days while this work is underway,” she said.
“Landline services, NBN internet services and mobile coverage from other providers have not be impacted. “
Ms Boisen said Triple Zero calls from Telstra mobiles to emergency services when the site was off air were diverted to working mobile networks while 5G upgrades occurred.
“The roll out of 5G connectivity for the first time in Oakey means customers with Telstra 5G mobile devices will be able to enjoy a better mobile experience,” she said.
“The upgrade also brings added benefits for customers on the Telstra 4G network with more capacity, providing better network connectivity and less congestion when it’s busier.”
“We’re continuing to expand our 5G network across Queensland and nationally we’re adding new sites to the network every week,” Ms Boisen said.
“With thousands of sites still to upgrade across Australia, our crews are working hard to make this happen.”
She said that the next local town to receive coverage would be Jondaryan, followed by Goombungee and Kingsthorpe next year.
“We can also let locals know we are planning to have 5G installed in Jondaryan before Christmas this year and in Goombungee and Kingsthorpe in the first half of 2024,” Ms Boisen said.
“Upgrades such as these continue to demonstrate Telstra’s ongoing commitment to regional Australia.”
Oakey joins more than 4,200 Telstra 5G sites on-air within selected areas of more than four hundred cities and towns across Australia and more than 80 per cent of all Australians now having the ability to access to Telstra 5G.
Nearby 5G networks have already been established in Dalby, Toowoomba, and Warwick.
What is 5G?
The G in ‘5G’ is short for generation. 5G is the fifth generation standard upgrade to the world’s mobile networks.
Why has it been installed?
Each generation of mobile technology has higher bandwidth than the one before it.
5G is expected to improve the quality of internet on phones, especially when it comes to video and streaming services.
Can I use the new network on my phone?
May Boisen answers this question:
“For mobile users wishing to access 5G on the Telstra network in Oakey, they will need a 5G capable device so for some people, that may mean upgrading their current device.”
Do Optus and Vodafone have 5G in Oakey?
According to their websites, Optus users do not have 5G coverage in Oakey, but Vodafone users do.
