The ACCC Has Revealed the Fastest NBN Plans in the Country

The ACCC Has Revealed the Fastest NBN Plans in the Country
Contributor: Alex Choros
At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

The ACCC this week released its latest report on real-world NBN speeds and Optus has managed to cling to the top of the leaderboard for the fourth time in a row.

In the tenth Measuring Broadband Australia report, Optus customers were found to receive 90% of their plan’s maximum speeds during peak hours (between 7pm and 11pm). TPG followed with customers found to get 89.2% during busy hours, with Aussie Broadband a hair behind at 88.5%.

This puts Optus ahead of the nine other telcos featured in the report, which spans Aussie Broadband, Dodo, Exetel, iiNet, iPrimus, MyRepublic, Telstra, TPG, and Vodafone.

Here are the full results:

Overall Overall excluding under
performing connections
Peak hours
Aussie Broadband 89.2% 91.4% 88.5%
Dodo 83.9% 88.6% 82.8%
Exetel 88.7% 90.0% 87.9%
iiNet 88.6% 91.7% 87.9%
iPrimus 83.9% 88.6% 82.8%
MyRepublic 89.6% 92.5% 88.4%
Optus 90.8% 92.7% 90.0%
Telstra 86.3% 91.1% 85.1%
TPG 90.1% 92.0% 89.2%
Vodafone 86.8% 90.2% 86.1%

The Measuring Broadband Australia report sample covers 1,115 connections. All but 35 of the households have a connection with one of the ten providers covered in the report. While it’s not a massive sample, it’s still a useful indicator of telco NBN performance.

Here’s a look at NBN 100 plans from the providers in the ACCC report:

Dodo is your cheapest option for an NBN 100 plan from the providers featured in the report, thanks to a promotional discount. You’ll pay $80 per month for your first 12 months, and $85 per month thereafter. Even after the discount expires, $85 per month is still cheaper than every other plan here. You’ll need to sign a 12-month contract to get this deal, but you’ll get a modem included at no extra cost.

If you’d prefer a contract-free plan, Vodafone’s NBN 100 plan will set you back $85 per month for your first six months, and $95 per month thereafter. Vodafone’s plan is contract-free. In addition, you can save up to 20% off your monthly bill if you bundle your Vodafone NBN plan with other postpaid services. Each Vodafone service after the first will get you a 5% discount on your bill, up to a maximum of 20% with five services.

Dodo was ranked equal ninth in terms of peak hour speeds, while Vodafone came in at seventh place.

If you’d prefer to avoid a plan with promotional pricing, MyRepublic is your cheapest option: you’ll pay $89 per month for a plan with unlimited data. MyRepublic ranked fourth on the leaderboard this time around, up from sixth last quarter.

TPG is just a touch more expensive, but also worth considering given its second-place finish. An NBN 100 plan on TPG will set you back $89.99 per month on an 18-month contract, but you can go month-to-month if you pay a $129.95 set-up fee.

While Optus may be the best performing provider according to the ACCC, it’s on the pricier side. An unlimited data NBN 100 plan will set you back $89 per month for your first 12 months, and then $99 per month thereafter. You’ll also be hit with $99 in setup fees. The plan is technically contract-free, but you’ll have to pay out a prorated modem fee if you leave within your first three years. This works out to $7 per month left in your term.

And here’s a look at NBN 50 plans from the providers in the ACCC report:

Vodafone is your cheapest option here, thanks to a timed offer. You’ll get your first six months for $65 per month, and then pay $75 per month thereafter. The plan is contract-free, so you’re always able to bounce when the discount runs out.

Excluding promotional discounts, MyRepublic is your most affordable option, but only by a slim margin. You’ll pay $69 per month on MyRepublic, followed by $69.99 per month on TPG, or $70 per month on Dodo.

MyRepublic is your best bet if you’d prefer a contract-free option; you won’t pay any upfront fees unless you want to add a modem. On the other hand, TPG and Dodo both charge setup fees unless you’re willing to commit to a longer term.

Chart topper Optus sits in the middle of the road when it comes to NBN 50 plans, priced at $75 per month. Once again, the plan is contract-free, but you’ll have to pay out a prorated modem fee if you leave within your first three years. And you’re still up for that $99 setup fee.

Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.

Comments


Leave a Reply