MATE is a well-known and highly regarded internet provider in Australia. MATE has a good reputation with a focus on friendly services, zero contracts, and excellent communication. It offers a range of broadband plans, including NBN, 4G, and 5G.
NBN, or National Broadband Network, is a hardwire broadband service owned by the Australian government. The network aims to connect businesses and homes to a reliable, high-speed internet network. It replaces previous copper-based infrastructure, using optical fibre in its place.
In this MATE NBN review, we’ll examine the features of the plans MATE offers, the typical internet speed, and what discounts customers can get from MATE. Take a look below to find out everything you need to know about the MATE NBN plans.
What’s In This Review:
What MATE NBN Plans are Available?
MATE offers a variety of NBN plans for customers looking to connect to the internet. Unlike other internet providers, their NBN plan offering far outweighs their mobile plans, so if you’re looking for 4G or 5G packages, you may be better off looking elsewhere. The MATE NBN, internet plan options, come with unlimited data and a risk-free guarantee. All MATE internet plans also come with zero setup fees.
The typical busy period for all these plans is between 7 pm and 11 pm, when connectivity may weaken. You can pair your MATE internet plans with home phone and mobile bundles. Their mobile plans use the Telstra network, which covers a good portion of the country for 4G and 5G.
Find out more about the MATE internet plans that use the NBN network below.
Can I Bundle MATE Internet Plans?
Like other big-name providers, MATE internet plans can be taken as a stand-alone deal or by adding a home phone plan to create a bundle. Like their broadband plans, their bundle NBN plan rates are competitive too, and their service is excellent. They also all come on a no-contract and no-limit basis.
You can also bundle one of MATE’s NBN Home Superfast internet plans with one of their mobile plan options. Bundling MATE internet plans with their mobile plans helps you to save money.
What are the Features of MATE NBN?
MATE has many features that make it a popular internet provider with customers around Australia. With a relatively easy sign-up process and affordable internet and mobile plan options, it’s an excellent choice for people looking for hassle-free broadband plans.
Below, we’ve examined some of the critical features of the MATE NBN plans and why they help the provider stand out from its competitors.
Unlimited Data
Some internet providers offer packages where customers are limited by the data they can use. For MATE internet plans customers, this isn’t the case. Instead, all their NBN internet plan options have unlimited data usage, so you’re not restricted.
This is great for multiple users, those working from home, and anyone looking to download and upload files over the internet. As far as their mobile plans are concerned, however, unlimited data is only offered as part of their top (most expensive) deal.
No Lock-In Contract
MATE is known for its friendly service, and as part of their casual style, they ensure not to lock any of their customers into contracts. Their tagline, ‘no contracts between mates,’ gives you all the information you need on how they feel about lock-in contracts.
This means you can sign up for a MATE NBN or mobile plan without being locked into a contract. You can get out of it quickly, and if you move somewhere new that doesn’t have NBN coverage, you can change to a plan that suits you.
No Setup Fee
Setup fees are usually added on top of the first month’s payment. With MATE, there are no connection fees, and you can BYO modem if you already have a device that works. One time when there could be fees, however, is if you’re getting wifi where that hasn’t been a connection before.
If your home is a ‘New Development’ or in a ‘Greenfields’ location, you must pay a small fee during setup.
What are MATE Broadband’s Best Features?
MATE NBN Internet Speed
FeaturedAs with other providers, MATE offers broadband plans with various speeds. This means that your internet speed will depend on your choice of plan, with the more expensive plans offering faster download and upload speeds. If you’re an avid gamer or you live in a household with a lot of people, it might be worth paying for a faster NBN plan. The higher the NBN number, the faster the internet. For more information, check out our guide to the NBN speed tiers.
Customer Service: How to Contact MATE
MATE Broadband’s Australia-based customer service team are available from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm (AEST) from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm (AEST) Saturdays, and 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (AEST) Sundays so they’re there for you should something go wrong.
Contact MATE Broadband on 1300 816 603. They’ve also got a contact form on their site, or you can email them at support@letsbemates.com.au, but if you need to talk to a MATE representative fast, a phone call is the best way to go.
Nobody likes anything to get in the way of a chat between them and a mate. MATE Broadband is 100% Australian-owned and has its entire support team based locally in Australia, so you won’t need to worry about being ping-ponged from call to call when all you want to do is get your question answered and your service up and running again.
The internet provider is known for its ‘contact MATE’ options and has even won awards for their dedication to supporting customers across Australia. If you want an internet provider that cares about customer satisfaction, this is the provider for you.
How Does MATE Compare to Other Providers?
MATE is a relaxed and friendly service. Like other networks, they offer NBN plans, mobile plan options, and home phone options. Below, we’ve covered how they compare to other major providers.
MATE Vs. Telstra Network
Regarding recommendations, MATE and Telstra don’t have many differences. Both are considered good networks and offer fast typical evening speeds. Telstra may be regarded as a more reliable option, but MATE has better value for money and customer support.
Telstra is the largest broadband provider in Australia, but customers enjoy the Australian-focused energy of MATE with their local customer support. Telstra uses a mix of Australian and overseas customer service and rates slightly worse than MATE for technical support.
If you’re choosing between the two, it may come down to personal preference, as both providers rate similarly. However, for local support and a more personal approach to your broadband, it has to be MATE.
MATE Vs. Optus
While MATE only offers customers phone and broadband plans, Optus provides customers with TV plans too. Optus is a reliable network with good value for money but, like Telstra, it can’t compete with the customer service that MATE offers. Optus uses a mix of Australian and overseas customer support, whereas MATE offers fully Aussie services.
There isn’t a tremendous amount of difference between these two providers either. If you want to include TV in your plan, then sign-up for Optus, but if you simply need an internet connection, MATE offers enough NBN-ready plans for you to pick from and offer great value for money.
MATE Summary: Is it Right for You?
MATE is recognised for two main things: no contracts and unlimited data. This has meant they’ve become particularly popular with students looking for flexibility, gamers who want the optimal streaming experience and renters who may need to move, as well as anyone who likes their internet to have some serious juice.
At a time when fine print and ‘conditions apply’ seems to be the norm, it’s refreshing to see a telco who understands the need to keep it simple. MATE Broadband offers good quality internet at an affordable price and will throw in home phone bundles and mobile plans for a little extra.
If you’re looking for a complete home entertainment bundle or the fastest internet speeds, there are others on the market with more to offer. But if you want high-quality internet at a reasonable price from a 100% Australian-owned telco, then MATE Broadband is right for you.
What People Are Asking About MATE
For more information on the MATE NBN plans, check out the most frequently asked questions below.
MATE is 100% Australian-owned. The owners are brothers David and Mark Fazio, along with their business partner Jonathan Dundovic. It was founded in 2015 and has been going from strength to strength ever since.
For NBN plans, MATE uses the NBN network owned by the Australian government. For their mobile plans, MATE uses Telstra’s 5G, 4G, and 3G mobile networks. The 5G service covers around 75% of the Australian population, so you’ll likely get good coverage.
MATE and Telstra are recommended similarly. They use the same network for mobile plans and the NBN services for broadband, meaning that connectivity is likely similar. Telstra is considered more reliable, but MATE offers more support to users.
Yes, MATE is 100% Australian-owned and based. All customer support is based locally in Australia, and the owners are Australian brothers David and Mark Fazio. This means you’ll always speak to a friendly Australian representative.
