Everybody hurts as Australia gets yet another mobile network

A woman looks at her phone as she walks past an advertisement for Australia's TPG Telecom Ltd in central Sydney, Australia, April 12, 2017. REUTERS/Steven Saphore

The planned launch of yet another mobile phone operator in Australia is set to hurt every provider already in the market, as well as the new entrant that’s spending almost A$1.9bil (RM6.34bil) to take them on, analysts said. 

TPG Telecom Ltd, best known for its broadband services, said April 12 it will build its own cellular network for A$600mil (RM2bil) after spending A$1.26bil (RM4.21bil) on airwave licenses. The move would make it the country’s fourth provider, pitting it against former monopoly Telstra Corp, Singapore Telecommunications Ltd’s Optus and a venture owned by Vodafone Group Plc and Hutchison Telecommunications Australia Ltd.