Broadband Bundles – Which Plans are Worth the Hype?
Which broadband bundles are worth your attention? Photo: Shutterstock
It’s a great time to be looking for a broadband plan in Australia. With the rollout of the nbn in full swing, new providers have stepped onto the scene, adding an element of competition that has seen some fierce competition. Where ISPs were once complacent, they now have to compete to get your attention and your hard-earned dollars. One of the benefits has been an increase in value-adding extras in the form of bundles. Once a footnote on the ISP sales sheet, the humble bundle deal is now at the forefront. Ain’t competition great?
When once your broadband plan was focused solely on price and data caps, there’s now a whole lot more to consider. Not only are the nbn speed tiers making their presence felt, but providers are now acknowledging that different people use the internet in different ways. The five ISP bundles featured here are all about the extra stuff. Just what kind of stuff depends on what you’re really looking for in a package.
Let’s take a look at what’s on offer.
Internet + calls
If you’re the sort of person who loves to sit on the phone for hours and chat with friends – and especially if most of those friends are on mobile phones – you’ll appreciate the bundles from several providers that take all the worry out of both the phone and internet bill in one neat little package for a fixed monthly fee.
Internet + entertainment
If you’re entertainment-minded, you can turn your attention to the grand streaming TV battle, involving the likes of Fetch TV, Netflix, Telstra TV, and Foxtel. ISPs are battling it out on the front and want to give you broadband to stream and a subscription to watch it on. Most offerings seem to have become far more focused in recent times, providing sensible solutions at a great price, and acknowledging that with the rise of Netflix, Stan and Foxtel Now, people are using more data than ever before.
Internet + cool gadgets
Once upon a time, ISPs used to hook up your internet and leave you to it. These days, every provider offers an nbn-ready modem with their bundles. To try and stand out of the pack, the quick ones are stepping up their offerings, including devices like set-top boxes, smart modems and more.
The Top Five Broadband Bundles
For the sake of simplicity, we’ll be focusing on bundles that feature unlimited downloads, preferably on the nbn.
Get chatting with your Mate
New telco Mate Communicate makes the cut because of their uncapped nbn bundles. Our pick is the $78/month Yeah Mates nbn bundle, which offers a 50mbps connection (standard evening speed of 20-50mbps). They also offer unlimited local, national, and mobile calls to numbers within Australia. If that’s not fast enough for you, then their Soul Mates nbn bundle is just another $30/month and gets you typical evening speeds of between 60-100Mbps. All of Mate’s plans are month-to-month with no lock-in contract and no plan-change fees, and are BYO modem. If the nbn isn’t in your area then Mate will hook you up with their City Mates ADSL plan starting at $69/month or their Country Mates plan for $99/month. These deals get you the unlimited data, local and national calls, plus line rental. But calls to mobiles will cost an extra 40c/minute.
Compare Mate Communicate Broadband Plans
Great value ADSL and NBN broadband deals. Unlimited data. No lock-in contracts.
Need the basics? Try a Telstra bundle
Telstra’s Entertainment Bundle really delivers. For just $99/month, you get unlimited data, a speedy nbn tier (40Mbps typical evening speeds), the latest Telstra Smart Modem with 4G backup, and a Telstra TV set-top box. This brilliant little box has a fine pedigree – it’s actually the acclaimed Roku streaming box that’s hugely popular in the US. It’s an app-based device that has support for all the major players – Netflix, Stan, hayu, and Foxtel Now. Speaking of the latter, this bundle also includes a 24-month subscription to Foxtel Now for free. The bundle also includes access to BigPond Movies and pay-as-you-go calls. Making it a bundle with something for everybody!
Foxtel from Telstra
Cheapest way to get Foxtel
is through Telstra. Start watching the
best sport, TV, and movies now.
Telstra broadband bundles
Get Telstra TV + Google Home Mini +
Unlimited data & watch shows & movies
from Netflix, Foxtel Now, Stan,
free to air & more.
Want flexibility? Check out Dodo
Dodo’s taking a stand in the “watch what you want when you want it” battle with wild abandon. This bundle is targeted directly at those with a big TV but a sensible budget. From just $74.90 a month you get unlimited data on the standard nbn tier (typical evening speeds of 11Mbps), an nbn modem, a Fetch TV Mini, and one Fetch TV channel pack.
While this device doubles as a brilliant HD streaming device for Netflix, the real pitch is the ability to upgrade almost every element of this bundle. Want the Fetch TV Mighty? Add on $5/month. Want access to premium channels from Fetch TV? Add the channels you want for $6 each, or pay $20/month to get them all. Want to make calls? Unlimited calls start at $10/month. Want to go contract-free? It’s just a $99 fee to go month-to-month. Together, Dodo Broadband plans offer a showstopper selection of flexible bundles, with a range of bundle options aimed at getting you streaming with ease.
Compare Dodo’s Broadband Plans
Discover affordable broadband backed by the iPrimus Network + optional Dodo TV powered by Fetch TV
Want something more? Try iPrimus
Once again Fetch Tv makes an appearance in this list, but this time you get so much more. With iPrimus’ Entertainment nbn bundle, you get unlimited data on an nbn 50 speed tier (46 Mbps typical evening speed), a free WiFi modem, unlimited standard local and national calls, plus a Fetch TV Mighty set-top box — so you can record what you want when you want.
This iPrimus NBN bundle also comes with your choice of one premium Fetch TV channel pack, and your choice of either unlimited calls to Australian mobiles, or an international call pack. Not to mention the extra features that come standard with iPrimus plans. You can pause your internet connection at will — great for your family people off their phones during mealtimes. Or if you’re taking a holiday, you can pause your plan until you come back. And if you want lower speeds or less data, you can switch to a lower tier plan and save money. How’s that for added extras?
Compare iPrimus Broadband Plans
Discover fast ADSL & NBN broadband + great perks all backed by the iPrimus Network
Want the premium experience? Try Foxtel Broadband
If you’re after internet and entertainment, it’s hard to look past Foxtel’s nbn broadband offerings. At the high end, the Unlimited nbn Broadband + Platinum HD Bundle does it all. You get unlimited data at typical evening speeds of 30Mbps, unlimited standard local and national calls, the iQ3 set-top box plus every channel package Foxtel has to offer. Altogether, this comes to $164 a month, and they’ll even waive the cost of the iQ3.
This deal saves you about $581in total, is only available to new customers, and expires 18 August 2018. After that time, the bundle will return to its original amount. It’s key to note that this is on a 12-month plan and that early cancellation fees may apply.Foxtel from Telstra
Cheapest way to get Foxtel
is through Telstra. Start watching the
best sport, TV, and movies now.
Telstra broadband bundles
Get Telstra TV + Google Home Mini +
Unlimited data & watch shows & movies
from Netflix, Foxtel Now, Stan,
free to air & more.
Keep an Eye Out for the Best Deals!
When it comes to picking a bundle, you need to keep your want and needs in mind. There’s a lot of competition in this space — which means there’s a lot of options available for the savvy shopper. But it can take a bit of digging to find the bundles that give you what you want.
The easiest way to make sure you’re getting value for money in your bundle is to compare the inclusions and the price. And don’t forget, you can always call the provider to see what they might be able to throw in to sweeten the deal!
Lastly, make sure you check the fine print. Check out the service availability in your area. Give the critical information summaries a close look and make sure you have a good grasp on the total costs of any options or added extras. There are also setup fees, install costs, and early cancellation fees which can sometimes slip your notice.
And of course, feel free to ask anything you like in the comments below!Compare Broadband | Bundles, Plans + Prices
