The network-sharing agreement between Optus and TPG Telecom is now in action. The main benefit is customers on the Vodafone network (owned by TPG) now use the Optus network in regional Australia, greatly increasing Vodafone’s coverage.
This means customers in some parts of regional Australia who may have only been able to pick between Telstra and Optus can now also pick from Vodafone providers, who tend to be cheaper. Here are the most popular plans on the Vodafone network:
What is the Optus-TPG network-sharing deal?
The Optus-TPG network-sharing deal has seen a Multi Operator Core Network (MOCN) established in regional and rural Australia. A MOCN simply means multiple mobile network operators share their core network infrastructure with each other.
In this case, the MOCN established between Optus and TPG benefits differently.
TPG (which also owns iiNet, felix, and Lebara in addition to Vodafone) now has access to Optus' network towers and be able to expand its coverage. The Vodafone mobile network has more than doubled, with coverage growing from 400,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometres.
However, we typically talk about network coverage in terms of people covered. From this perspective, the Vodafone footprint has expanded from covering 95.4% of the population to 98.4% of the population.
On Optus’ side, it has gained access to TPG’s spectrum in regional Australia, giving it extra network capacity. As part of the MOCN Optus is able to utilise TPG's network spectrum to deliver faster speeds and enhance service quality. Optus says this will also speed up its 5G rollout in regional Australia.
When does the Optus-TPG network sharing deal take effect?
Optus and TPG are sharing their mobile networks as of January 30, 2025. All mobile customers serviced by the Optus and Vodafone networks now have access to the benefits, including access to 5G where it's available. Individual users do not have to make any changes to make use of the extra coverage.
You can see the cheapest plans on the Optus and Vodafone networks with at least 20GB of data here:
Optus-TPG network sharing deal FAQs
Do Optus and TPG networks have identical coverage under the network-sharing agreement?
Optus still has slightly more coverage at 98.5% of the population compared to 98.4% of the population with TPG. This is because while Optus will share its network coverage with TPG in regional parts of Australia, each still maintains its own network in metropolitan areas.
Will prices increase for TPG network customers?
TPG hasn't indicated yet that it will be planning to increase prices for customers as a result of the network-sharing agreement. However, it's common for mobile providers to increase their prices (usually once per year).
Vodafone for example, increased plan prices for new customers in January last year. A frequently asked question on Vodafone's website states "We do not have plans to increase mobile prices because of the regional network arrangement".
Will the Optus-TPG network-sharing deal lead to more congestion?
If anything congestion should be lessened. Optus' customers in regional Australia will benefit from increased capacity with Optus accessing TPG's spectrum.
These are the most popular NBN 50 plans with WhistleOut users this week:
Dylan Crismale
Digital Content Editor
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