If the end of the year has you curious to try out new NBN alternatives like a 5G home internet plan, the good news is that following through on that idea probably won’t cost you a cent.
There are some great deals out there that make it possible to test drive the wireless broadband without spending a cent or committing to yet another bill and nothing is stopping you from keeping your current NBN connection in the meantime.
If you just want the short version, check out the widget below for a round of the cheapest 5G home internet plans available in Australia this month.
Not sure where to start? Take a look at this plan from iiNet.
The iiNet 5G Broadband Plus plan comes with a modem and includes typical evening download speeds of 50Mbps and upload speeds of around 12Mbps. Best of all, iiNet will cover the cost of your first month with this plan. If you don’t like the reality of 5G home internet or don’t get as good a connection as you’d hoped, you can just cancel, return the modem and continue on your way.
If you need a little bit more speed, it won’t cost you a cent more to try out the iiNet 5G Broadband Premium plan instead.
The terms, conditions and first-month free promotion are all the same here, you’re just getting faster speeds. Rather than the 20Mbps typical evening download speeds, you’re looking at around 100Mbps. Upload speeds are about the same at 12Mbps.
As with its more affordable counterpart, iiNet will cover the cost of your first month with this plan. If you’re unsatisfied with your service, it’s relatively painless to cancel, return the modem and move on with your life. So long as you do this part within the first 21 days and the modem itself is in good working order, you’ll avoid any pesky hardware fees.
Of course, getting the first month for free is par for the course when it comes to 5G home internet. If you’d prefer a provider that goes that little bit further when it comes to sign-up bonuses then Optus might be the way to go.
Take the Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G plan for instance.
This plan comes with unlimited data, typical evening speeds of 87Mbps and upload speeds of up to 15Mbps. There’s a 50Mbps satisfaction guarantee, the first month is free and Optus will also sell you a second-generation Amazon Echo Show 8 for $1 rather than the usual $229.
The only catch is that those who leave before the first 36 months are up may be faced with a modem fee of between $16 and $576 depending on how many months Optus has you on the books.
Optus is one of only a few 5G home internet providers that offer plans with uncapped speeds. These plans tend to be a bit more expensive, but if you’re after an NBN alternative that can deliver a similar level of hustle as the fastest speed tiers, this might be a cheaper option in the long run.
For example, the Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G home internet plan is $10 month more expensive but comes with faster speeds and free Netflix.
This plan comes with unlimited data, typical evening speeds of 240Mbps and upload speeds of up to 20Mbps. As with Optus’ other 5G home internet plans, there’s a 50Mbps satisfaction guarantee, the first month is free and you’ll score a second-generation Amazon Echo Show 8 for $1 rather than the usual $229 if you sign up before the end of January 2024.
Fergus Halliday is a journalist at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.
Lead Image Credit: Sony
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