4G versus 5G: Why it's finally time to make the switch

I'll admit it: I'm still on a 4G mobile phone plan. It's a 365-day prepaid plan, and it's been good enough for years. But lately, my connection has started to feel a bit sluggish in crowded areas on my commute to work.

So, it's time to upgrade. Thankfully, making the switch isn't hard because decent 5G mobile plans are everywhere and there are great deals on offer too.

NOTE: Prices are accurate at the time of publishing

5G mobile phone plans worth considering

What are the advantages of 5G?

The biggest surprise is how affordable 5G is in 2026. When it first rolled out a few years ago, it felt like a premium service at a premium price.

But now, most telco providers offer 5G connections at the same price as their older 4G plans. So you can essentially get a massive speed upgrade for $0 extra.

Beyond the price, you get three main advantages:

• Faster speeds: 5G brings faster speeds, meaning downloading movies, games and other large files may take only seconds rather than minutes

• Faster response times: 5G reduces the thinking time your connection needs, so you get faster response times when you tap a link, video call, play games, etc

• Reliability: 5G is built to handle more connections and provides a more reliable connection thanks to its greater bandwidth

More 5G mobile phone plans on offer, by telco

Dodo

Felix Mobile

Optus

Belong Mobile

Are there any disadvantages to 5G?

While the performance of 5G networks will be an improvement over 4G, there are three small things you'll want to consider before switching:

• Compatibility: first things first, double-check if your phone can actually access 5G networks
• Battery usage: 5G can be more draining on the battery, as your phone will be constantly searching for the fastest signal
• Indoor coverage: 5G networks sometimes struggle to pass through thick walls, like basements. So you might find your phone occasionally dropping back to 4G

Most popular 5G compatible phone plans

READ MORE: The best mobile phone plans we've spotted for 2026