Landline internet
Mobile Internet
TV StreamingTelstra, the largest mobile network and NBN reseller in Australia
Telstra is the largest telecommunications company in Australia. It operates the country's most extensive mobile network, runs the largest fibre and cable backbone, and resells NBN broadband to millions of homes. With around 22 million mobile services and 3 million fixed-line connections, Telstra outages can affect mobile calls, mobile data, NBN broadband and home phone services across the country. The Telstra outage map is the tool most customers check first when their phone or internet stops working.
- The size of the Telstra network and the services it provides
- Why mobile, NBN and home equipment all affect the Telstra outage profile
- The investments and technologies behind 5G and network resilience
- The customer-facing tools, MyTelstra app and what to check first when service is down
Australia's only nationwide mobile network with its own backhaul
Telstra was privatised between 1997 and 2011 and is now a publicly listed company on the ASX. It owns the most extensive telecommunications infrastructure in Australia, with a mobile network, a national fibre backbone and one of the few alternatives to the NBN for enterprise customers.
Key figures for Telstra:
- Around 22 million mobile services across consumer, business and wholesale.
- Around 3 million fixed-line broadband connections, mostly resold over the NBN.
- Mobile coverage of around 99.7% of the population on 4G.
- 5G coverage of around 91% of the population, with a target of 95% by late 2025.
- More than 11,000 mobile sites and around 250,000 kilometres of fibre and microwave backhaul.
Several MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) including Boost Mobile, Belong and ALDImobile resell access to the Telstra mobile network, extending its effective customer base well beyond the Telstra brand.
Why Telstra outages can hit mobile, NBN broadband or both at once
Because Telstra runs both a mobile network and a major NBN reseller business, outages can affect multiple services at the same address. The cause matters: a mobile tower fault and a fibre cut produce very different impacts.
Mobile network faults
Tower failures, transmission backhaul cuts and core network issues all cause mobile outages. The May 2024 national 4G/5G outage left millions of Telstra mobile customers without service for several hours, the largest mobile event in years.
NBN-side faults
Most Telstra home internet is delivered over the NBN, so faults on the wholesale network cause Telstra broadband outages. The fault sits with NBN Co, not Telstra, but the customer support relationship stays with Telstra.
Power outages at the address
Home modems, FTTN nodes and HFC equipment all rely on local electricity. When the power goes out, the Telstra internet usually goes with it. Mobile service can also be affected if the local cell tower loses power and runs out of battery backup.
Severe weather and natural disasters
Storms, cyclones, floods and bushfires regularly damage Telstra cell towers and backhaul fibre. Cyclone Alfred in March 2025 took out hundreds of sites across south-east Queensland and northern NSW.
Rural and regional coverage gaps
Telstra has the most extensive rural coverage of any Australian carrier, but individual remote towers serve large areas. A single tower fault in the outback can leave hundreds of square kilometres without mobile service.
5G rollout, rural towers and the T25 programme
Telstra is in the middle of T25, the multi-year strategy launched in 2021 that prioritises 5G expansion, regional resilience and digital services. The investment programme is the largest of any Australian telco.
Telstra T25 highlights
- Around $1.5 to $1.7 billion per year of capital expenditure on the mobile network.
- 5G coverage target of 95% of the population by late 2025.
- More than 100 new regional mobile sites jointly funded with the Federal Government's Mobile Black Spot programme.
- Investment in disaster recovery: Cell on Wheels (COW), portable generators and satellite backhaul for emergency response.
5G expansion
Telstra is the leader in 5G coverage in Australia, with a target to reach 95% of the population by late 2025. New mid-band spectrum (3.6 GHz) and millimetre-wave deployments in CBDs deliver faster speeds and more capacity than 4G.
Disaster resilience
Following major cyclone and flood events, Telstra has expanded battery backup at remote sites, deployed Cell on Wheels (COW) units pre-positioned in disaster-prone regions, and increased satellite backhaul capacity to maintain coverage when terrestrial fibre fails.
Regional infrastructure
Telstra continues to be the only carrier delivering universal Standard Telephone Service obligations in remote Australia. Recent investment includes upgrades to the rural microwave backhaul network and small cells in regional towns.
MyTelstra app, outage status and the customer toolkit
Telstra outage map
Telstra publishes a Service Status page that shows known mobile and NBN outages by postcode. Customers can enter their address to see whether a confirmed event is affecting their service and the estimated restoration time.
MyTelstra app
The MyTelstra app gives mobile access to billing, plan management, troubleshooting tools and real-time outage alerts. It also lets customers raise faults and track resolution progress.
Customer support
Customers can reach Telstra support 24/7 by phone on 13 22 00, through live chat in the MyTelstra app, or via Twitter at @Telstra. Telstra's fault diagnosis is largely automated, with field crews dispatched for confirmed network issues.
When a power outage causes a Telstra outage
Both Telstra mobile and Telstra NBN connections depend on electricity. Home modems, FTTN/HFC equipment and even local cell towers can fail when the local power network goes down. Checking the local electricity distributor first often saves a useless support call.
Queensland
South-east Queensland is served by Energex. The rest of Queensland, including Cairns, Townsville and the outback, is served by Ergon Energy.
New South Wales
Sydney and the Hunter are served by Ausgrid, Western Sydney by Endeavour Energy, and the rest of NSW by Essential Energy.
Victoria, SA, Tasmania
Eastern Victoria is served by AusNet Services, inner Melbourne and western Victoria by CitiPower, Powercor, United Energy and Jemena. South Australia is served by SA Power Networks and Tasmania by TasNetworks.
Western Australia
On the South West Interconnected System, Western Power runs the wires and Synergy is the residential retailer. The rest of WA is served by Horizon Power.
Telstra, Optus, TPG, the three Australian mobile network operators
For a wider view of how Australia's broadband and mobile market is structured, see the Australian internet outage page. Telstra's two main competitors with their own mobile networks are Optus and TPG, which also owns the Vodafone and iiNet brands. For fixed-line broadband, all four ISPs resell wholesale access from the NBN.