Telstra aims to extend 5G coverage to 95% of Australia by 2025
(Reuters) -Australian telecom Telstra outlined a plan on Thursday, under which it aims to extend 5G coverage to 95% of the country by the end of 2025 and cut A$500 million ($366.85 million) in net costs.
The cost reductions under the new plan, dubbed T25, are on top of the A$2.7 billion already being targeted under its current T22 strategy, the company said.
The plan will kick off on July 1, 2022, and includes the potential rollout of a 6G network.
Telstra also said it was confident of maintaining a minimum 16 Australian cent per share fully franked dividend through T25.
The company, which was split into three in November, sold a 49% stake in its mobile tower business for A$2.8 billion in July.
Telstra has been trying to restructure its operations as it faces persistent headwinds on its fixed-line business from the rollout of a state-owned broadband network.
($1 = 1.3630 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Arundhati Dutta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Anil D'Silva)
