Internet & NBN Providers in Australia - 2024

Broadband & Internet Providers in Australia

Australia has moved to the NBN, with almost 100% coverage across the country, but what is NBN? How does it compare to older broadband choices? Learn about the NBN and the differences between broadband services below.

ADSL in Australia

ADSL was the traditional broadband service for most of the country, using the existing phone lines to deliver internet to millions of Australians.

ADSL, for a time, worked great, offering download speeds of up to 24Mbps. But, as technology improved, our need for faster internet grew. In 2020, NBN rolled out across Australia, making ADSL obsolete.

NBN Australia: What is the NBN?

For the last 10 years, NBNCo has been rolling out the National Broadband Network (NBN) across Australia. Instead of using the wires associated with ADSL, NBN uses cutting-edge fibre technology to connect to regional connection points (called nodes) and then connect that node to consumers’ homes through the existing copper wires.

Instead of the one download speed associated with ADSL, NBN gives customers the choice of download speeds. This means bigger households won’t have to worry about slower speeds when multiple devices are connected, while smaller households don’t need to pay for more than they actually need.

Since the NBN rollout has been completed, broadband providers no longer sell ADSL broadband plans. For most customers, NBN is a great option for reliable high-speed internet, no matter where in Australia they live. If you still have ADSL, it’s important to switch to a new NBN plan before you lose broadband access.

Rural or regional NBN isn’t just for the main cities. If you live in rural or regional Australia, you might get your NBN service from satellite NBN.

Home wireless broadband: An NBN alternative

Home wireless broadband is an internet alternative that uses the mobile broadband network to connect your home to the internet rather than traditional copper or fibre connections.

Using a modem very similar to an NBN modem, you can connect multiple devices including your mobile phone, laptop, computer, and TV to the internet. The only difference is that this internet is from either Vodafone, Optus, or Telstra rather than NBNCo and, unlike NBN, does not require special installation or set up, simply plug it in and go.

Home wireless broadband should not be confused with mobile broadband (also known as data-only mobile phone plans). Mobile broadband is when you receive a standalone SIM card that can be inserted into any mobile broadband-enabled device such as a mobile phone.

However with home wireless broadband, the SIM card is usually installed directly in the home wireless broadband modem which you can plug into a power source.

Choosing the Right Internet Provider in Australia

NBN is officially rolled out across Australia, meaning that all the traditional ADSL broadband connections have been phased out of Internet providers’ services. With NBN now universally available, it’s important to understand how to compare NBN services in Australia.

 SPEED:

Internet speed is one of the most important factors when choosing a new broadband plan. This is especially true with NBN.

NBN service is divided into different speed standards, which correspond to the fastest possible download speeds you can achieve.

These are: NBN12, NBN25. NBN50, and NBN100. However, these are not the speeds you will actually achieve. Broadband providers also display their “typical evening speeds” which are the average download speeds during peak busy hours. The cost of your NBN plan is directly related to how fast the download speeds are, with faster plans costing more.

Discover your current broadband speed Take the Internet Speed Test to see how fast your broadband connection currently is, and learn ways to troubleshoot slow internet connections.

 PHONE LINE INCLUDED:

Unlike traditional ADSL, NBN does not require an active phone line. However, if you’re someone who enjoys using the home phone, it might be worth considering an NBN plan with a phone line and voice add-on plan.

Likewise, if you don’t want a home phone service, you don’t need to select an NBN plan that has it included.

 DATA:

Most NBN plans come with unlimited data, particularly plans at faster NBN speeds. If you don’t require a lot of data, and rarely use the internet, you might choose a plan with 100GB or 500GB of data instead.

 CONTRACT LENGTH:

Most Internet providers give the choice of month-to-month or 12-month contracts. Oftentimes, choosing the month-to-month option will result in a higher upfront cost (either for set up, or an included modem) while these fees are waived if you choose a 12-month contract.

However, if you plan to only need your broadband service for a couple of months, these upfront costs might make more sense than paying a cancellation fee later down the line.

 INCLUDED MODEM or B.Y.O.M. :

Some broadband providers allow you to bring your own modem (BYOM) when you sign up for their plan, while other Internet providers include their own (either included in your costs, as a rental, or for an additional upfront fee).

If you already have an NBN-ready modem, you might be able to use that, but make sure it’s properly set up for your connection. If you don’t already have a modem, make sure to read the fine print to see if there are any additional fees associated with getting one from your broadband provider.

 BUNDLES:

Bigger internet providers will often let you bundle services with their NBN plans for slightly discounted rates. This might include a home phone add-on, a mobile phone plan, or entertainment services like Fetch TV.

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