Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro Review: The Verdict
The Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro is about a future-proof as a portable hotspot can be, but there's little case for getting one today.
What we love
- Can attain very fast speeds
- Has an Ethernet port
What could be improved
- Inconsistent performance
- 5G coverage is still limited
- Expensive
55/100
$599
Telstra is pitching its 5G Wi-Fi Pro based on future potential, declaring it the company's "most advanced 5G hotspot". In theory, any new device should be more advanced than its predecessors, but these claims are especially notable in the context of the 5G Wi-Fi Pro.
The 5G Wi-Fi Pro doesn't just support "regular" 5G. It supports cool 5G. mmWave 5G. mmWave 5G is an upcoming 5G standard where download speeds could reach 4Gbps, if not more. The only problem is it currently doesn't exist in Australia. Even regular 5G is still scarce.
From the outset, the 5G Wi-Fi Pro could be a great hotspot for the world of tomorrow. Of course, the more important question is what it can do today.
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I've been blessed by Telstra's light, and am one of the lucky ones who can get 5G at home. While the nearest tower isn't quite line of sight and I can get a stronger connection if I wander down toward it, the conditions I'm testing in feel about as real world as they get.
Speed is understandably the number one question when it comes to 5G, and the 5G Wi-Fi Pro can deliver admirably in the right circumstances. When closer to the tower, I've seen speeds approach 1Gbps. At home, around 300Mbps is the best I've seen. 300Mbps is nothing to scoff at - and about three times faster than my 4G speed tests at the same time - but the disparity shows just how much your 5G experience will depend on your location.
These speed tests were taken when connected directly to the hotspot via its 5Ghz band. Connecting to the 2.4Ghz band is an entirely different experience, with speeds capping out around 60Mbps. In short, you'll need devices with 5Ghz WiFi support to make the most of 5G.
I've also seen performance inconsistencies when using the 5G Wi-Fi Pro as part of my home network. The 5G Wi-Fi Pro has an Ethernet port which allows you to directly connect it to another device, or to a router to share its connection with other devices. Despite being able to clock download speeds upward of 300Mbps at home, wiring the 5G Wi-Fi Pro into my home network seems to seriously hamper my performance. Devices connected to my home WiFi can only pull between 50Mbps and 90Mbps when the connection is powered by the 5G WiFi Pro.
It's certainly possible that my Google Wifi router is causing interference, but this hasn't been a problem with other 5G modems I have wired directly into it before - performance was almost identical whether it was a direct connection to the modem, or whether it was going through my home network.
The modem at the heart of the 5G Wi-Fi Pro doesn't seem quite as strong as what we're seeing in current generation 5G smartphones. Despite the fact my apartment falls into the Telstra 5G footprint, I need to step outside for the 5G Wi-Fi Pro to establish a network connection. It can sometimes maintain a connection if I bring it back indoors after, but there are also cases where it will just drop out. I've taken to just leaving the hotspot outside to ensure the best possible connection.
How to get 5G indoors pic.twitter.com/aVMNjPCfy5
— Alex Choros (@a_choros) July 14, 2020
For comparison, however, other 5G devices I've tested recently - such as the OPPO Find X2 Pro - have been able to both establish and maintain a 5G connection while indoors.
Of course, many aren't able to get 5G yet. If that's you, the 5G Wi-Fi Pro still makes for a decent 4G hotspot, although should expect far more conservative outcomes in terms of speed. While testing at home, my speeds have topped out under 100Mbps.
Otherwise, the 5G Wi-Fi Pro is ostensibly what you'd expect from a portable hotspot. The interface is a little clunky - especially when compared to the HTC 5G Hub, which offered a lot more flexibility thanks to running a full version of Android - but it does the job. In terms of battery, Telstra says you can expect about nine hours per charge, which might be a tad ambitious. In my testing I've found it will last around seven. That's fine, but a little underwhelming compared to the more robust battery of last year's HTC 5G Hub, which was able to get around 20 hours per charge.
Forward thinking
The 5G Wi-Fi Pro has the potential to get more exciting in the future, thanks to mmWave support. mmWave is an upcoming form of 5G that complements Sub 6, the current technology Australian 5G networks are built on.
mmWave 5G uses extremely high frequencies starting from 26GHz. While mmWave is the fastest 5G technology - potentially reaching speeds over 4Gbps, it has the shortest range and can have issues penetrating buildings. 4Gbps speeds sound incredible, but mmWave doesn't currently exist in Australia. Australian telcos won't be able to bid for access to the mmWave spectrum until the start of 2021, and then they'll still need to deploy a network on it. This means it is unlikely we'll see mmWave 5G connectivity in Australia until late 2021 or early 2022. And even then, it will be scarce.
Sub 6 5G, also known as mid-band 5G runs on frequencies similar to what 4G networks use now, albeit on the higher end of the spectrum. All Australian 5G networks, including Telstra's, currently rely on Sub 6 5G.
While the Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro can currently only connect to Sub 6 5G and 4G networks, Telstra is pitching it as a portable hotspot for those who want to future-proof themselves for the "next iteration of 5G".
Should you buy a product just for the sake of future-proofing yourself? No. Does this make the 5G Wi-Fi Pro a bad product? Also no.
You certainly shouldn't buy a device just because it has the potential to maybe do something cool sometime in the future, but future-proofing is objectively a good thing. It's perhaps best thought of us as a bonus feature you might one day be able to use, if you hold on to the hotspot for long enough. In the same vein, many 2020 5G smartphones have both Sub 6 and mmWave 5G connectivity.
There's also no other 5G hotspot in the Telstra 5G range, so if you really want a Telstra 5G hotspot, the 5G Wi-Fi Pro is your only choice. You can't just opt for a cheaper option with no mmWave to save cash.
Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro - Final Thoughts
mmWave aside, the question ultimately becomes is a 5G hotspot worth it right now? For most, the answer is no. 5G just isn't widespread enough to guarantee you'll be able to utilise the speeds you're ostensibly paying a premium for.
The Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro adds to $24.95 per month to your mobile broadband bill over a 24-month period. For comparison, Telstra's fastest 4G portable modem - the Nighthawk M2 - adds $16 per month to your bill. Alternatively, there's the 4GX Wi-Fi Pro, which only adds $5 per month to your bill. You're looking at a $9 to $20 per month premium for speeds you might not be able to attain.
But even if you can already get 5G at home or your office, the 5G Wi-Fi Pro isn't the best bet for replacing your NBN. You're looking at $99.95 per month for the modem with a 200GB Telstra mobile broadband plan. That could be enough data to replace a traditional fixed line connection for some, but not for others. At the least, it comes a lot closer than when Telstra's mobile broadband plans maxed out at 100GB.
But for the sake of comparison, Optus is offering in-home 5G for $70 per month with unlimited data. The trade-off, of course, is that you're not able to use the bundled modem outside of your home - it requires constant mains power.
Ultimately, the Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro is a device being sold based on future potential - not just in terms of mmWave, but 5G full stop. The scarcity of 5G means few will get the experience capable of, and even if you're able to, you're paying quite a premium for it. When coupled with some performance inconsistencies, most will be better opting with a tried and true 4G hotspot for the time being.
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