If you’re looking for a consistent NBN experience, your best bet is looking for a “congestion-free” plan. Providers including Telstra, Optus, and SpinTel all advertise NBN plans with typical evening speeds that match the speed tier. 100Mbps on NBN 100 plans and 50Mbps on NBN 50 plans, for example. This means these plans shouldn’t see any slowdown, no matter what time of day. They’re ostensibly congestion free.
Before we look at which providers are part of the congestion-free club, and what their plans look like, it is important to note that individual circumstances can prevent you from achieving the typical evening speeds advertised.
The likes of in-home wiring and your equipment can all impact your download speeds, as can abnormally high usage in your area. There have also been providers that have advertised congestion-free typical evening speeds, but then reduced speed guidance down the track.
It’s also worth noting that FTTN connections need to be within 400m of a node to even have a shot of achieving NBN 100 speeds. Unfortunately, some FTTN connections can’t even get full NBN 50 speeds.
Congestion-free NBN 50 plans
A good chunk of NBN providers now offer NBN 50 plans with typical evening speed of 50Mbps. No matter how much you spend, it’s easy to find an NBN 50 plan that shouldn’t slow down during peak hours.
Dodo is currently one of your cheapest options: you’ll pay $53.90 per month for your first six months. The price jumps rather significantly after, going up to $75 per month. You can however save a further $10 per month if you’re in NSW or Victoria and also get your gas and electricity from Dodo.
Exetel has a similar offer where you’ll pay $53.90 per month for your first six months and $69.95 per month thereafter. Exetel’s NBN 50 plan gives you five free speed boosts to NBN 100 per month. Each speed boost lasts a single day. Speed boosts are only available to those on HFC, FTTP, and FTTN connections, however.
Despite being a slither more expensive initially, SpinTel is arguably the best pick from this lot. You’ll pay $54 per month for your first six months and $64.95 per month thereafter. Even at full price, that’s cheaper than some discounted plans. If you don’t plan on changing providers every six months, SpinTel is a great set-and-forget choice.
Congestion-free NBN 100 plans
If you’re after an NBN 100 plan with typical evening speeds of 100Mbps, you’ve got fewer options to pick from. The five providers currently reporting maximum speeds of the NBN 100 speed tier are Exetel, SpinTel, Pennytel, Optus, and Telstra.
Exetel is your cheapest option by a hair. You’re looking at $68.95 per month for your first six months and $84.95 per month thereafter. As with its NBN 50 plan, you’ll get five free speed boosts to NBN 250 per month. You’ll have to be on a FTTP or HFC connection to take advantage of these, however.
SpinTel’s pricing is pretty similar: you’ll pay $69 per month for your first six months, and $84.95 per month thereafter.
Optus is currently charging $79 per month for your first six months for its NBN 100 plan, and $89 per month thereafter. Just note you’ll get hit with a modem fee if you leave within your first three years. The modem fee is equivalent to $7 per month left in your term.
Telstra has an offer of its own where you’ll pay $90 per month for your first six months and $110 per month thereafter. If you leave within your first two years, you’ll need to return your modem to avoid paying a fee. Telstra is also currently offering new customers two months of free access to Binge.
Pennytel will set you back a flat $99 per month. It currently isn’t running any promos.
Congestion-free NBN 250 plans
At present, Telstra is the only provider advertising NBN 250 plans with typical evening speeds of 250Mbps. Its NBN 250 plan will set you back $110 per month for your first six months and $140 per month thereafter.
As with its NBN 100 plan, you’ll need to return your modem if you leave within your first two years. You’ll also get two months of free access to Binge.
Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.
This article has been updated since it was first published.
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