5G is the most over-marketed word in Australian mobile. On prepaid plans the published reality is narrower than the advertising, and it is worth reading the exact wording before you let it influence a choice.
What the Boost summary says
5G non-standalone coverage is available in most metro and many regional areas, and access to 5G standalone is not currently available on a Boost Mobile Plan. Two facts in one sentence: broad non-standalone availability, and no standalone access on this plan.
What the plan page adds
Telstra Pre-Paid Mobile Network 5G access is available with a compatible device in most metro and many regional areas. The compatible device condition is not a formality; the summary separately states that an incompatible device may be blocked and may not have access to voice or data at all.
What the Optus data plans say
Optus prepaid data plans provide access to the Optus 4G network and, for activations after 18 May 2026, 4G and standard 5G non-standalone, with coverage varying so you should check the coverage map. The activation date matters: it applies to activations after 18 May 2026, not retroactively to everyone on the plan.
The honest summary of 5G on prepaid
- It is non-standalone, which improves capacity rather than giving a new kind of network.
- It needs a compatible device, and an incompatible one may not work at all.
- It is available in most metro and many regional areas, which is not the same as available at your address.
- No prepaid plan in our fact base offers 5G standalone access.
If you are choosing on 5G, choose on the coverage map at your actual addresses. The generation label will not distinguish these plans, because they all say 4G/5G.
Coverage. No provider promises coverage street by street, and neither do we. Check the provider coverage map for the addresses you actually care about before you commit to a plan.