Comparing Internet Plans

How much can you pay?

Generally, faster speeds and greater bandwidth capabilities mean that the internet service product becomes more expensive. When making your selection, you’ll want to aim for the plan that best fits how your household will be using the internet.

If you live alone and will mainly be using the internet to intermittently scroll social media and watch the odd movie via streaming, there’s little point splashing out for an expensive option when a more basic plan will more than accommodate your needs. On the other hand, if you live in a household with several people who all work from home, use the internet for gaming and regularly use streaming services, you’ll need to make sure that you select a plan with suitable bandwidth and speed tier.

How much data will you need?

While unlimited internet plans are commonplace, some cheaper options cap internet use at a certain amount of data per month. If you have a rough idea of how much data you will use each month, you can see if you could get away with paying less for a capped internet plan. When you go over your data plan though, restrictions or additional charges can apply.

What internet speed will you need?

We’ve all come to know and loathe that buffering circle that pops up in the middle of the screen, inevitably halfway through a movie or interrupting a crucial moment in the sports game you are streaming. The key to avoiding that unwelcome intrusion is to have a plan with speeds that can keep up with everyone in the household who uses the internet.

Speed is measured via downloads and uploads, and is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Note this is not a megabyte per second - a common misnomer. There are roughly eight megabits to a megabyte, so if your plan was yielding a 40Mbps maximum download speed, you’d technically be able to download five megabytes in a second.

If you were watching Netflix or downloading a movie, that is counted as a download. If you were uploading a picture to Instagram, a video to YouTube or putting photos to the cloud, that’s an upload.

NBN speed tiers explained

When you connect to the NBN, you can choose from several speed tiers to best suit the specific needs of your household.

NBN evening speeds explained

Your home internet plan doesn’t exist in a vacuum. In the evening, everyone else in your neighbourhood is likely streaming, playing games and browsing Facebook or TikTok. This can lower the maximum speed of your internet plan, and the NBN has made it mandatory for companies to reveal their ‘evening speeds'.

While the maximum download speed might be 50Mbps, the internet provider might not have allocated enough bandwidth for everyone to get that speed, so will throttle speeds to say 42Mbps so everyone can jump on the internet.

This is more prevalent if your home is using a FTTN or fibre to the node connection, where lots of houses are connected to the node, which then connects to your home via copper wiring. Other connection types (FTTP, FTTC, FTTB) are less susceptible to speed throttling, however service providers are generally doing a better job at maintaining speeds than they were three to five years ago.

Month to month or term contract

Most providers in Australia now offer no lock in internet plans, allowing month to month payments. Some products though will have contracts, normally ranging from six to 24 months. While many favour the flexibility of a month to month plan, it’s possible that you could save money by signing an extended contract, so it could be worth considering if you know you will need internet at the same place for at least the contract term.

Fixed line or wireless connection

You can connect to the internet through either a fixed line or wireless connection. However, not everywhere in Australia can be connected through both, so it’s important to find out the specifics for your location.

Fixed line connection

A fixed line connection means your household transmits and receives data using physical cables. Fixed line internet tends to be faster and more reliable than mobile internet, but this tends to also mean these plans are more expensive.

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a federal network of fibre optic cables designed to provide high speed internet for all Australians. As of February 2023, NBN has been rolled out across most of Australia, but there are still areas that have not yet been connected. Using the rollout map, you’ll be able to find your address and see if you are able to connect to the NBN.

Asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL) used to be the most commonly available type of fixed line broadband connection. ADSL uses copper wiring, which means data is not transferred as quickly as fibre optic cables. If you are in an area not yet connected to the NBN, you will probably be using ADSL for a fixed connection.

Wireless connection

Alternatively, the internet can be accessed through wireless technology, which uses radio waves to transmit data. This is either done through mobile broadband, which is essentially the same service you use when you connect to the internet on your smartphone, or a home wireless broadband plan, which tend to have greater bandwidth capabilities. Home wireless uses cellular technology, and is widely available across Australia. Anywhere you can get phone service, you should be able to get connected to the internet using 4G. The latest development in cellular technology, 5G, is still in the process of rolling out, so you’ll need to check if it is available for you.

Bundles and perks available

Internet plans can often be bundled in with other services. Electricity, TV and home phone are all examples of utilities that can be packaged in with internet plans, making both cheaper. Even if you already have providers for these services, it can be worth exploring the options available because there might be a spectacular deal available.

Some companies also offer extra perks that come with their internet plans. An internet plan with Optus for example, usually comes with a complementary Optus Sport subscription, while Telstra now offer a year of free Kayo Sports with many of its internet packages. Many providers have also teamed up with Fetch TV, which is a streaming and set top box service, to offer bundled internet and entertainment packages.

Extra fees and charges

When you are comparing how much plans will cost you, it’s important to remember the other charges that may apply beyond how much you are paying each month. For example, you may need to pay a fee for your modem, or the cost of a technician to come and get you connected to the NBN if your home is new.

Firstly, what is the NBN?

The NBN is the National Broadband Network, is a government initiative to bring high-speed broadband to most of Australia's population. It's been a few years in the making, and some of the technology has changed since its 2009 inception, but it's finally being rolled out nationwide, with the ultimate aim of reaching at least 93 per cent of Aussies.

The NBN, which is being delivered by the NBN Co, will be available via a mix of different technologies. These different technologies include satellite and fixed wireless access in the more remote areas of the country, as well as fixed-line fibre to the premises (FTTP to its friends), fibre to the node (FTTN) and hybrid-fibre coaxial cable in the cities and metropolitan areas.

There's also a couple of other fibre technologies that will be less commonly-used - fibre to the basement (FTTB) and fibre to the curb (FTTC). FTTB will most likely be available in a few apartment buildings to give all the occupants access and FTTC will be used in a few areas to replace the HFC connections that were originally planned.

Your own NBN technology will be dictated primarily by the area you live in, so you need to find out what you'll be getting. Head to NBNCo's address checker to find out which tech is available at your home address and if it's already been rolled out to you.

When will I be able to move onto the NBN?

Some areas are ready to go now and it's important that you find an NBN provider as soon as possible because the ADSL will be cut off around 18 months after NBN reaches you.

The ADSL deadline can be as short as 90 days in some cases and you'll see the deadline for your area on the checker, so you might have to move fast.

How fast will NBN Internet be in my area?

NBN speeds are measured by the average speed in the evenings, when most people are using it to stream films and so on. These peak hours are between 7.00pm and 11.00pm and the speed you'll get will be determined primarily by the type of connection you have. FTTP is fastest, as the fibre comes into your home, whereas FTTN is a bit slower as it uses copper wires for the last few hundred metres into your premises.

There are also different tiers of speeds, depending on what your area can offer. FTTP offers four tiers, from basic to premium, which obviously means different pricing as you go up the scales.

If you're in an area served by FTTN or HFC, then you can't get the highest speeds yet. Fixed wireless and satellite areas may be even more limited, but improvements are planned.

How much does NBN internet cost?

This depends on your tech and also the level of service you opt for. You can choose from different NBN providers as long as they deliver to your area, but here are some good examples of a provider within each tier.

NBN 12 - basic

The basic plans are suitable for users looking for entry-level speeds.

The TPG NBN 12 SL bundle is a good looking deal as you get an 18-month contract with maximum evening speeds of 11.1mbps.

The bundle includes a modem as well as national and international calls. This plan costs $59.99 per month ($89.99 for the first month), which works out as $1,109.82 over the entire contract.

NBN 25 - standard

These plans are good for users who want an improvement from their old ADSL broadband plan. You should get download speeds of up to 25mbps and uploads at 5mbps.

A good looking NBN 25 deal is the Vodafone Essential NBN plan, which includes a modem and delivers speeds of up to 23mbps. There's also 4G backup if necessary and this plan costs $59.00 per month (the first month costs $239 with the modem) and you're not tied into a contract.

NBN 50 - standard plus

Standard plus plans are ideal for small businesses and for households in which several people are using the internet at the same time. The speeds on offer are quite a step up from the basic and standard tiers, with theoretical maximum of 45mbps.

A good looking standard plus deal is the Tangerine XL Speed Boost. It offers maximum speeds of 42mbps and includes 4G backup. You can use your own modem, or buy one with the deal, which makes the first month $159.80 and $59.90 a month thereafter. You're not tied into a contract with this deal.

NBN 100 - premium

If you have a need for speed then premium is the way to go, with maximum evening speeds of around 85mbps. This tier is for people who stream HD films, game a lot and who download and upload large files regularly.

One reasonable looking premier plan is the Aussie Broadband Power User, which offers maximum speeds of 86mbps. You can use your own modem, which means you don't pay the $253 for the first month and the plan costs $89 a month going forward. You're not tied into a contract with this deal.

How to choose an NBN internet plan

When you're ready to switch to NBN, you should compare the offers on the market within your price range and also your usage levels.

If you work from home, or if you have a houseful of teens, a premier plan may be for you, whereas if you're not bothered about HD films and games, then standard or standard plus might be a better option.

Which NBN provider is fastest?

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the fastest NBN provider now is Optus.

Optus NBN managed to achieve 87.6 per cent of its maximum speed, even at peak hours.

Second fastest internet in Australia according to the ACCC is TPG, which managed 86.3 per cent.

The speed you experience at home is largely dependent on the tech that delivers it.

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