Samsung and Telstra have announced a deal today that will see the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G be one of the first 5G smartphones on the Telstra network when its launched in Australia.
The timing of this is a little weird, as the S10e, S10 and S10+ will all be released on March 8th, but the 5G capable version won’t arrive for a few months. The official release date isn’t known, but is said to be in the first half of 2019.
If you’ve been dazzled by the amazing Galaxy S10+ and buy one now through Telstra, when the Galaxy S10 5G is launched, you get to upgrade to it, for free.
This means, for a few months you’ll need to baby the Samsung S10+ (4G version), as you’ll be handing it back to Telstra in ‘good working order’ in almost a weird loan situation. The condition of the phone will be important to the ‘free’ switchover to the 5G version. If you happen to smash the screen during these few months, don’t expect Telstra to exchange it without cost, so be careful. The good news is you don’t have to recontract, you’re original purchase date stands.
With that aside the offer is interesting, essentially mitigating a release schedule conflict between the device and the network readiness.
It’s still kind of unclear if the Galaxy S10 5G will be worth waiting for, given the 5G rollout will be pretty spotty at first. If you’re someone who loves the latest and greatest and let’s be honest, loves to share Speedtest screenshots on Twitter to make your NBN friends cry, then get after it, order yourself a S10 5G.
This device will be Samsung’s global entry into the 5G smartphone race. While there’ll be continued development of camera technology in 2019, the biggest checkbox feature of a 2019 phone will be 5G compatibility, delivering access to the fastest mobile internet speeds Australia has ever seen.
Samsung believes you need the Galaxy S10 5G to unlock new experiences like hyperfast uploads and download speeds, the ability to download a full-length feature movie to your mobile device in seconds and enhancing real-time applications like AR, VR, gaming and 4k video conferencing.
“5G speeds will demonstrate unparalleled connectivity and be critical in transforming the way Australians live, work, connect and communicate. Capable of speeds up to 20 times faster than 4G3 , 5G will also be integral to advancing AI, IoT and computing technologies, which are key to bringing-to-life Samsung’s vision for a connected future.
Garry McGregor, Vice President of IT and Mobile, Samsung Electronics Australia
Telstra initially is deploying 5G into its mobile network in the major capital city CBDs and other select high traffic areas and will be progressively rolling out to other areas.
Interestingly the 5G version of the Galaxy S10 will feature a 4,500mAh battery and 25W fast charging, compared to the S10+ which has just a 4,100mAh battery and 15W fast charging.
In terms of price, Telstra have announced a ‘Hero plan’.
At launch the Samsung S10+ 128GB will be available on the XL lease plan for $129 a month (for 24 months, min cost $3,096). This comes with a massive 160GB of data, unlimited national and international talk and text, Peace of Mind Data as well as Telstra’s sports, music and Wi-Fi data inclusions.
Pre-orders of the S10e, S10 and S10+ smartphones also come with bonus Galaxy ear buds. Full details on all consumer and small business plans will be available at Telstra.com at opening of pre-ordering which is available now at https://telstra.com.au/mobile-phones/samsung-s10
More about Telstra’s 5G at telstra.com.au/coverage-networks/5G
