Mobile Competition in Australia 2025: Impact of Optus & TPG-Vodafone Tower Sharing on Businesses

The Australian mobile landscape is finally shifting—and businesses should be paying close attention.

In 2025, competition in the mobile services market is looking more promising than ever, with real potential to lower costs for businesses and organisations burdened by rising mobile expenses.

The Problem: A Market Long Dominated by Telstra

For years, Australian businesses have faced growing mobile costs, largely due to a lack of true market competition. Telstra has historically held a dominant position, bolstered by its reputation as the “premium” mobile network. This perception, however, has been driven just as much by strategic marketing as it has by network performance.

Many business decision-makers still carry the legacy of past experiences—remembering the underwhelming network delivery from Optus and Vodafone in the 1990s and 2000s. Telstra has capitalised on this sentiment, often using fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) to deter organisations from switching providers.

The Shift: A New Era of Network Sharing and Performance

That landscape is finally changing. Thanks to a recent ACCC-approved network sharing agreement between Optus, TPG, and Vodafone, the playing field is beginning to level out. These providers can now share infrastructure and coverage, significantly closing the gap with Telstra’s longstanding advantage.

This partnership represents a game-changer, especially when you consider Telstra's early head-start—gained from inheriting Australia’s original government-owned mobile network. For years, this gave them an unmatched advantage in building out their 4G infrastructure.

Now, with shared infrastructure, Optus and TPG/Vodafone can deliver wider coverage and better service consistency—without having to replicate expensive builds across Australia’s vast and sparsely populated regions. In a country as geographically diverse as Australia, three fully independent competitive mobile networks were never financially realistic.

Evidence of Improvement

When comparing 4G and 5G network coverage and performance using sources like Open Signal and the ACMA, it’s clear that Optus and TPG/Vodafone are now polling better across multiple metrics, including:

• Network coverage

• Speed

• Reliability

• Availability

  
  

We’re already seeing this shift play out in the market. Both Optus and TPG are winning more mobile tenders by offering credible coverage maps, smart postcode and call usage analysis, and thoughtful transition plans. They’re addressing concerns around the so-called “pain of change” head-on with robust mobile management plans and clear strategies—countering decades of Telstra-led marketing myths.

Looking Ahead: What It Means for Business

With the shared Optus/TPG-Vodafone network now providing genuine competition to Telstra, Australian businesses can look forward to:

• More choice in mobile providers

• Lower overall costs for mobile services

• Improved performance from alternative carriers

• Better contract terms through more competitive tenders

• Confidence to switch based on actual performance, not outdated perceptions

  
  
  
  

As 5G continues to mature and replace 4G, historical biases will fade, leaving room for objective comparisons and better business decisions.

Final Thoughts

Mobile services are an essential and growing cost centre for Australian businesses. In 2025, it’s more important than ever to understand the real mobile landscape—not just the stories we’ve been told for decades. The market is shifting, and businesses that embrace this change stand to benefit significantly.

Want to know how your mobile contracts stack up? Contact us for a no-obligation chat about your company’s mobile services and how you can save.

Visit www.cdktel.com.au to learn more about our mobile audits, telecom support, and procurement services.