Compare Internet Plans for NBN
NBN Sky Muster - 150GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 15GB peak, 135GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup and cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 150GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 15GB peak, 135GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 175GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 45GB peak, 130GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 175GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 45GB peak, 130GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 200GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 65GB peak, 135GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster - 200GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 65GB peak, 135GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
Min Cost - $175 over 1 month ($120 setup & modem incl.)
- $10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03
- $10 off w/ electricity & gas on selected areas
- No Lock-in Contract
- Includes landline service w/ pay as you go calls
- Pay as you go calls or add calling packs from $10/mth
- 20Mbps typical evening speed during 7pm - 11pm
- Up to 4 devices
- Music streaming
- HD video streaming
- Online gaming
- 25GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
Min Cost - $720 over 12 months
- $10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03
- $10 off w/ electricity & gas on certain areas
- 12 Month Contract
- No setup & modem fees
- Includes landline service w/ pay as you go calls
- Pay as you go calls or add calling packs from $10/month
- 20Mbps typical evening speed during 7pm - 11pm
- Up to 4 devices
- Music streaming
- HD video streaming
- Online gaming
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 50GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN SL Voice Basic Bundle
- No Lock-in Contract
- Pre-paid service
- High speed Wi-Fi Modem
- Pay as you go calls
- Call pack options available
- Control your service online
- Cost of a 2 min standard national mobile call: $1.17 (inc. call connection)
- Optional voice add-ons: Oz Talk ($10), Big Talk ($10) & Extra Talk ($20)
- Setup $99.95
- Voice Prepayment Outside Included Value $20
- Equipment Delivery Fee $10
- Additional once off $300 nbn™ New Development charge applies if your premises is identified by nbn™ as being within the site boundary of a new development.
Min Cost - $180 over 1 month ($120 setup & modem incl.)
- $10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03
- No Lock-in Contract
- Pay as you go calls or add calling packs from $10/mth
- 41Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Up to 4-6 devices
- Music streaming
- HD video streaming
- Online gaming
- Inc. $5/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local & national calls
- Included modem
- 10Mbps typical evening speed
- Includes nbnTM broadband $45, 100GB Data (S)
- VoIP (M)
- $5 discount from nbnTM plan. Discounted rate ($40)
- Limited Offer Plan reverts to Standard monthly fee of $45 after 24 months
Min Cost - $780 over 12 months
- $10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03
- 12 Month Contract
- No setup & modem fees
- Add Fetch from $25/mth for 12 mths + your choice of channel pack
- Pay as you go calls or add calling packs from $10/month
- 41Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Up to 4-6 devices
- Music streaming
- HD video streaming
- Online gaming
NBN Sky Muster - 225GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 80GB peak, 145GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 12 Month Contract
- Setup fee included + modem
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- 20Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- 20Mbps average sampled evening speed
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
NBN Sky Muster - 225GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 80GB peak, 145GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 100GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 50GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
NBN SL Voice Standard Plus Bundle
- No Lock-in Contract
- Pre-paid service
- High speed Wi-Fi Modem
- Pay as you go calls
- Call pack options available
- Control your service online
- Cost of a 2 min standard national mobile call: $1.17 (inc. call connection)
- Optional voice add-ons: Oz Talk ($10), Big Talk ($10) & Extra Talk ($20)
- Setup $99.95
- Voice Prepayment Outside Included Value $20
- Equipment Delivery Fee $10
- Additional once off $300 nbn™ New Development charge applies if your premises is identified by nbn™ as being within the site boundary of a new development.
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- 41Mbps average sampled evening speed
- $99 setup & modem costs
- 50GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
- 12 Month Contract
- Setup fee included + modem
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- 41Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- 20Mbps average sampled evening speed
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- Inc. $5/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local & national calls
- Included modem
- 10Mbps typical evening speed
- Includes nbnTM broadband $55, Unlimited Data
- VoIP (M)
- $5 discount from nbnTM plan. Discounted rate ($50)
- Limited Offer Plan reverts to Standard monthly fee of $55 after 24 months
- 12 Month Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- Setup fee included + modem
- 20Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- 41Mbps average sampled evening speed
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- 12 Month Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- Setup fee included + modem
- 41Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- Free BINGE Standard for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- Buy online: no connection fee
- #1 provider to stream Netflix
- Telstra Smart Modem included (with 4G back up)
- Unlimited standard local, national and Australian mobile calls
- 30-day NBN satisfaction guarantee
- Broadband Protect: Online security to keep your family safe
- Telstra Air® included
- Inc. $20/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- Included modem
- 19Mbps typical evening speed
- Unlimited nbnTM Broadband Standard $75/mth
- VoIP Large $30
- Bundle $75 limited offer includes a $20 per month discount for the first 24 months then this bundle plan reverts back to $95 per month
Min Cost - $960 over 12 months
- $10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03
- 12 Month Contract
- No setup & modem fees
- Add Fetch from $25/mth for 12 mths + your choice of channel pack
- Pay as you go calls or add calling packs from $10/month
- 82Mbps typical evening speed during 7pm - 11pm
- Up to 6-9 devices
- Music streaming
- Online gaming
- 4K video streaming
Min Cost - $195 over 1 month ($120 setup & modem incl.)
- $10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03
- No Lock-in Contract
- Pay as you go calls or add calling packs from $10/mth
- 82Mbps typical evening speed during 7pm - 11pm
- Up to 6-9 devices
- Music streaming
- Online gaming
- 4K video streaming
- No Lock-in Contract
- Ideal for households of 3-4
- For gaming & video streaming
- 38Mbps typical evening speed
- No Lock-in Contract
- Optus Sport monthly subscription included
- Stream Premier League, K League & more live and on-demand
- 44Mbps typical evening speed
- Landline with PAYG calls
- Pay no modem cost if you stay connected for 36 months
- Option to add Fetch Mini for $5/month
- Add $10 for unlimited local, national & mobile calls
NBN SL Voice Premium Bundle
- No Lock-in Contract
- Pre-paid service
- High speed Wi-Fi Modem
- Pay as you go calls
- Call pack options available
- Control your service online
- Cost of a 2 min standard national mobile call: $1.17 (inc. call connection)
- Optional voice add-ons: Oz Talk ($10), Big Talk ($10) & Extra Talk ($20)
- Setup $99.95
- Voice Prepayment Outside Included Value $20
- Equipment Delivery Fee $10
- Additional once off $300 nbn™ New Development charge applies if your premises is identified by nbn™ as being within the site boundary of a new development.
Min Cost - $2,100 when you stay connected for 24 months, and may change if the month-to-month plan price changes. New customers only.
- New customers: $10/mth credit for 6 mths
- Free BINGE Standard for 3 months
- Buy online: no connection fee
- No Lock-in Contract
- #1 provider to stream Netflix
- Telstra Smart Modem included (with 4G back up)
- Unlimited standard local, national and Australian mobile calls
- 30-day NBN satisfaction guarantee
- Broadband Protect: Online security to keep your family safe
- 50Mbps typical evening speed
- Telstra Air® included
- Free BINGE Standard for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 20,000 Telstra Plus Bonus Points
- Buy online: no connection fee
- #1 provider to stream Netflix
- Telstra Smart Modem included (with 4G back up)
- Unlimited standard local, national and Australian mobile calls
- Stream it all on the new Telstra TV
- 30-day NBN satisfaction guarantee
- Broadband Protect: Online security to keep your family safe
- Telstra Air® included
- 12 Month Contract
- Setup fee included + modem
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- 82Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- 82Mbps average sampled evening speed
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- Inc. $20/mth Discount
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet & home phone
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- Included modem
- 38Mbps typical evening speed
- Unlimited nbnTM Broadband Turbo $75/mth
- VoIP Large $30
- Bundle $85 limited offer includes a $20 per month discount for the first 24 months then this bundle plan reverts back to $105 per month
NBN Sky Muster - 250GB Standard
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 90GB peak, 160GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 12 Month Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- 82Mbps average sampled evening speed
- Setup fee included + modem
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Optus Sport monthly subscription included
- Stream Premier League, K League & more live and on-demand
- 44Mbps typical evening speed
- Fetch Mighty included w/ 1 Premium Channel pack
- Landline with PAYG calls
- Pay no modem cost if you stay connected for 36 months
- Add $10 for unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- 82Mbps average sampled evening speed
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
NBN Sky Muster - 250GB Sonic
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 90GB peak, 160GB off peak data
- No excess usage
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Australian-based phone support
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- No Lock-in Contract
- Ideal for households of 3+
- For gaming & HD video streaming
- 76Mbps typical evening speed
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 150GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 75GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
Min Cost - $2,580 when you stay connected for 24 months and may change if the month-to-month plan price changes. New customers only.
- New customers: $10/mth credit for 6 mths
- $30/mth off speed add-ons for 6mths! Ends 30/04
- Free BINGE Standard for 3 months
- Buy online: no connection fee
- No Lock-in Contract
- Buy online: no connection fee
- #1 provider to stream Netflix
- Telstra Smart Modem included (with 4G back up)
- Unlimited standard local, national and Australian mobile calls
- 30-day NBN satisfcation guarantee
- Broadband Protect: Online security to keep your family safe
- 100Mbps typical evening speed
- Telstra Air® included
- Free BINGE Standard for 3 months
- Xbox One S console with 4K Ultra HD streaming
- No Lock-in Contract
- Access to over 100 games
- Buy online: no connection fee
- Telstra Smart Modem included (with 4G back up)
- Unlimited standard local, national and Australian mobile calls
- Stream it all on the new Telstra TV
- 30-day NBN satisfaction guarantee
- Broadband Protect: Online security to keep your family safe
- Telstra Air® included
- 10GB mobile data
- 24 Month Contract
- Internet, mobile & home phone
- Unlimited mobile talk & text
- Included modem
- Unlimited local, national & mobile calls
- 100GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
- 12 Month Contract
- Setup fee included + modem
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 200GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 100GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 12 Month Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- Setup fee included + modem
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
- No Lock-in Contract
- Landline w/ pay as you go calls
- Add Fetch from $10/mth with 1 free channel pack
- $99 setup & modem costs
- Add $10 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls
- Add $30 for Unlimited Landline & Mobile calls + 2000 International minutes
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 250GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 125GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
- 150GB Off-peak & peak data
- No Lock-in Contract
- 25Mbps+ typical evening speed
- Peak is throughout the day from 7am to 1am and off-peak is late night from 1am to 7am
- Typical evening speed subject to network capacity
NBN Sky Muster Plus - 300GB PLUS
- PlayOn Cloud free for 3 months
- No Lock-in Contract
- 150GB peak & off peak data
- No setup & cancellation fees
- Powered by nbn™ Sky Muster™ Plus
- Unmetered content: basic web browsing, OS updates, email
- BYO router or purchase from Activ8me (additional $15 delivery charge)
Show all plans
Last audited 22 February 2021
Compare NBN Internet Plans and Save Money
The days of having to choose from one or two providers for your internet are a thing of the past, thanks to the arrival of the NBN, which is now available to almost all Australians. With the NBN, not only will you be able to get a much faster internet connection, but you’ll now be able to choose your internet provider from a huge range of companies.
That means it’s much easier to find a plan that suits your needs at a price that’s right for you – and if you’re not happy with a provider you choose, it’s easy to switch. And if you still ant to keep your home phone, the good news is you can – in fact, a home phone is provided free of charge with many plans. Check what’s on offer, and find your perfect NBN plan!
Best Internet Deals and Offers
With so many competing internet providers looking for you to come to them for your NBN internet, there’s always some great limited-time deals and offers to be had, whether you’re connecting for the first time or thinking of switching to a new provider. Keep an eye on this page, as we keep a close eye on the latest special offers and deals on NBN internet plans – like these below.
Compare Plans
- nbn™ Unlimited Broadband Standard
- No Lock-in Contract
- Up to 25Mbps Standard Evening
- Unlimited Data
- NBN 25™ Fixed Line
- Ideal for households of 2-3
- 19Mbps typical evening speed
- $65/mth
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$10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03![]()
$10 off w/ electricity & gas on certain areas- NBN25 Unlimited - 12 Months
- 12 Month Contract
- Up to 25Mbps Standard Evening
- Unlimited Data
- NBN 25™ Fixed Line
- No setup & modem fees
- Includes landline service w/ pay as you go calls
- $55/mth
$10/mth off for the 1st 6 mths! Ends 15/03Min Cost - $720 over 12 months
How to Choose an Internet Plan
Now that the NBN has almost finished rolling out across Australia, most people now have access to it in some form – though for many, that’ll mean switching from an existing ADSL internet connection to the NBN. This happens when you order your first NBN service. A NBN technician will visit to make the necessary changes to your phone line and get you all set for the NBN (your home phone, if you’re keeping it, will plug into the NBN your internet provider sends you).
Once the NBN is available in your area, you have 18 months to switch over to it before the old phone lines are switched off. And with some really well-priced NBN internet plans on the market now, ADSL doesn’t make a lot of sense to keep any more (remember, too, that there’s no home phone line rental charge on the NBN!)
Important Things to Consider
Unlimited Data
You’ll want to aim for plans with unlimited data – it’s pretty much the industry standard these days, and there’s a lot to say for not needing to worry about going over your monthly limit. There was a time when unlimited data plans were a sign of a potentially slow and congested network, but most providers seem to have that problem solved now.
Plan Speed
The NBN has a series of preset maximum speeds you can choose from – and of course, faster is more expensive. They’re advertised using the form “NBN25” where 25 is the maximum download speed. For families we recommend the most popular plan speed – NBN50.
Peak Evening Speeds
Internet providers now have to disclose, by law, the typical speeds each plan can reach in the busy peak evening hours. This is a handy number to compare when you’re checking out plans, as it’ll give you some idea of whether there’s any chance of the dreaded evening “Netflix slowdown”. The closer this number comes to the plan speed, the better.
The Most Popular Internet Plans
No Contract
While there are many no-contract internet plans on the market these days, not all of them are truly contract-free – there might be a setup fee, or a modem you have to pay off if you leave early. Southern Phone’s Unlimited Standard plan gives you contract-free NBN25 internet for only $65 a month with no setup fee.
High Speed
When it comes to fast internet, Telstra’s network is hard to beat – and if you’re after a high speed internet plan, they’re the obvious choice, with their Premium Speed + Unlimited Data plan giving you a lightning-fast connection for $110/month with typical evening speeds of 100Mbps. It’s only available on FTTP and HFC connections.
Unlimited Data
One of the pioneers of unlimited data plans, iPrimus has a great deal for a NBN50 connection that you can optionally add Fetch TV to. The plan costs only $75/month, and comes with a home phone with pay-as-you-go calls. Same goes for Dodo which offers the same uncapped data plan on the same speed tier for a lower $70/month.
What are the different types of NBN Internet Connections?
There are several different methods used to connect you to the NBN, which depend entirely on where you live – you don’t get a choice. Your internet provider will tell you when you sign up which sort of connection you’ll be getting – but what do they all mean?
FTTP – Fibre to the Premises
This is the NBN as it was originally planned – a fibre optic cable connection that runs right into your home, where it ends in a large white box. You simply plug a modem or router into that, and you’re ready to get online. It can provide very fast connections – while 250 Mbps is the fastest currently offered in Australia, current FTTP installs can happily do up to 1000 Mbps – what’s called “gigabit”.
FTTN – Fibre to the Node
The technology that was initially brought in as a cheaper alternative to FTTP, Fibre to the Node does what it says on the tin – it runs a fast fibre optic cable all the way to a box in your street called a node. From there, the existing copper phone wires are used to connect to nearby houses.
FTTB – Fibre to the Basement/Building
Often used in existing apartment buildings because it’s far easier than trying to run new cable into dozens or hundreds of residences across multiple floors, FTTB is similar to FTTN, in that fibre is run to a “node”.
HFC – Hybrid Fibre/Coaxial
There’s nothing new about this one – HFC is the technical name for what you know as the old pay TV cables! HFC uses a street box to distribute a fibre connection to many homes via a thick coaxial cable (very much like your TV antenna lead). That allows for reliably fast speeds in the 50-250 Mbps range.
FTTC – Fibre to the Curb
This is the newest technology to be put into play on Australia’s NBN. FTTC puts connection points along the fibre cable in the street, one for each home. The home then connects to that cable with the existing copper phone line, but thanks to the distance usually being extremely short, high speeds are almost a guarantee (unless there are problems with the home’s phone wiring).
Fixed Wireless and Sky Muster Satellite
For those too far out in the wilds of Australia to get access to any of the fibre-based technologies, Fixed Wireless is designed to fill areas where rollout of cables wasn’t possible. For truly remote properties, as well as Australia’s island territories, the NBN has its own satellite ready to handle broadband, named Sky Muster.
Frequently Asked Questions about NBN
For many years, Australia depended on a network of phone lines owned by Telstra, and broadband equipment owned by a handful of companies, for both home phone and internet services. Not only was it slow, it limited consumers’ choice of providers. The NBN – National Broadband Network – replaces that with a high-speed national network for all communications, which all providers can offer services on. That keeps prices down – and thanks to newer technology, speeds are faster than ever possible before.
The rollout of the NBN, started in 2010, is now officially complete (though improvements and upgrades are ongoing). Most areas and households have either been switched over to it, or have access to it. You can check your NBN access and the type of connection you have using our interactive NBN rollout map.
Once the NBN is available in your area, you should get a letter in the mail letting you know you can switch over. At that point you can either contact your current provider to make the switch, or choose a new one – it’s good to compare NBN providers and plans before making a decision, as there are many great-value deals available.
Yes, usually they do. With the old copper phone network shutting down, your home phone will now work on the same connection as your NBN broadband and will need to be provided by the company that delivers your broadband. That’s not a bad thing – usually, you’ll find the home phone line is included at no extra charge. If you’re on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or Fixed Wireless NBN, you can have home phone and broadband with different providers, but the cost of doing so makes it better to stick with the one provider.
As a vast national network, the NBN itself is designed to never be “down” completely (though occasional technical problems can crop up). However, if you’re unable to access your NBN internet service it’s entirely possible that the NBN connection point you’re on may be having an outage, or your internet provider may be having technical issues. Your first port of call is your internet provider’s support line – they have access to all the info about the NBN and can tell you if there’s an outage and how long it may last, or get things fixed if there’s a fault in your service.
When the NBN is installed at your home or business, the NBN technicians will install all the things needed to get the connection into your home. Depending on your connection type, they will also possibly install a device known as a NTD where the connection enters the building, which is what you connect your modem or router to. With Fibre to the Curb connections, the NTD will usually be supplied by your internet provider, but sometimes may be installed when you have the NBN connected. In either case, it’s provided free of charge.
A vast broadband network that stretch across the entire country, the NBN works as a central hub that all internet providers can connect to via any of 121 connection points around the continent. It provides the pipelines and computing power needed to move data to and from each of those connection points, sending it to and receiving it from your chosen broadband provider. It’s an incredibly complex network that’s designed to be, for the end user, as simple as plugging a modem or router into a socket on the wall.
The NBN replaces the old copper phone network, and with it, your traditional phone line is also replaced. However, with some NBN technologies – Fibre to the Node, Fibre to the Curb and Fibre to the Building – existing phone lines are used to carry the NBN data from the street into your home. Because this is a far shorter length of traditional phone line, much faster speeds can be reached. When the NBN is installed at your place, the NBN technicians will make the needed changes to your phone line so it’ll work with the NBN.
While so far, most NBN connections have been limited to the NBN 100 tier as the top speed – that’s 100 Mbps downloads and 40 Mbps uploads – in 2020, new speed tiers were released, offering download speeds of 250 Mbps and 1000 Mbps (also known as “gigabit”). However, these speeds aren’t available for everyone just yet – in most cases, upgrades need to be made to the network to enable them for customers, and internet providers need to choose to offer them (at the moment, only a few do).
While you’re not required to have a NBN broadband connection or home phone if you don’t want one, the old copper phone network is being decommissioned and you will lose access to it once that happens in your area, making the NBN the only choice for wired broadband and phone. That’s not a bad thing, since it gives all consumers much more choice and cheaper prices, and the ability to switch providers easily without a lengthy waiting period.
There are several types of NBN in use around Australia, and which one you get depends on your location – you can’t choose which type you get. All connect to the same NBN in different ways and have different advantages and capabilities. To find out which type you have, search for your address on any NBN internet provider’s web site – it will instantly show you which connection type you have.
The NBN was a project started by the Rudd government a decade ago, and then modified and finished by the current government, as a publicly owned asset. At the moment, the NBN is still 100% government owned and run, but the longer-term plan has always been to sell it to recoup the huge cost of building it. While that will eventually happen, for the immediate future the NBN remains in public hands.
If you’re experiencing slow or unreliable broadband on the NBN, the actual NBN network is unlikely to be the problem. It’s possible your internet provider may be having technical issues or suffering from congestion, so call them first. It’s also possible that you’re suffering from a local fault, either with the cable out in your street or the cabling in your home; you ISP can help you diagnose that. If you’re using wi-fi, make sure you test your connection using a computer plugged into your modem/router via Ethernet first – wi-fi is notoriously prone to interference causing slowdowns.
TV and the internet are closely connected these days, and there are plenty of options if you’re looking to get some entertainment with your internet connection. Fetch TV can be added to unlimited plans from several providers (like iPrimus, mentioned above) or if you’re more of a streaming user, Telstra’s bundle pulling together a Telstra TV box, free months of Binge and Foxtel Now, a home phone and unlimited broadband is TV value that’s hard to beat for $99/month. Telstra also offers well-priced bundles with Foxtel included. You can check out all the latest TV and internet bundles on our comparison page.
If money’s tight and you’re looking to get connected to the internet without breaking the bank, don’t worry – there are affordable plans available, and while they won’t break speed records, they’ll keep you connected just as well. Belong Broadband – which uses the Telstra network – has its Starter plan available for only $55/month, which gives you slightly more than NBN25 speed. It doesn’t get much cheaper than that – and they include a wi-fi modem too.
What’s best overall is going to depend on your specific needs, but the plan which gives the most bang for your buck is Telstra’s NBN50 Unlimited Data plan. It bundles a fast, reliable connection, a modem with 4G backup, a home phone with unlimited calls, free connection and three months of free Binge (more if you join Telstra Plus!)
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Telstra has a huge range broadband plans and bundles to fit the needs of just about everyone, including NBN, ADSL and high-speed mobile broadband, plus entertainment on demand.
