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Compare internet providers
Written by
Rachel Gregg
Edited by
Ellie Garran
Reviewed by
Julia PaszkaCompare a range of Internet providers
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iSelect’s partnered with CIMET to help you compare a range of internet plans and providers. Not all internet providers or plans in the market are compared. Not all plans may be compared from our range of providers due to area or availability. Learn more.
What do I need from an internet provider?
Each Aussie home will need specific data limits, connection types and upload and download speeds that are fast enough for all their devices and streaming services. A good provider can offer a great-value plan that’s ideal for your household’s needs without you needing to pay for features you might not use – which is also a great way to save money.
How do I choose an internet provider?
The speed, reliability, connection type and cost of your internet will be key factors in deciding which internet provider to go with. It’s also important to look at promotional plan offers and weigh up different price points compared to data limits. It’s important to think about the smaller details like the cost of modems or other connection fees. iSelect can help you compare a range of internet brands to help deliver reliable internet service to your home.
Helpful tip:
Chances are you’ve been with the same internet provider for years – maybe even forever, but it could be quietly costing you more than you need to pay.
One of the perks of the NBN is that it levels the playing field, so smaller providers can offer the same speed as established internet service providers. A quick comparison of competitive plans every 6 to 12 months to see what else is out there could potentially save you money in the long term.
Make sure you read the terms and conditions of each plan before switching, and keep an eye out for any price hikes after promotional periods or exit fees if you do want to switch providers down the track.
Alex Kidman
Tech Journalist
What should I keep in mind when comparing internet providers?
When comparing NBN providers, you should think about the flexibility of your potential plan, any bundle deals or extra perks, data limits and the customer service rating before signing up to a single provider. These are additional considerations you should think about on top of internet speed, connection types and upload and download speeds.
Flexibility
Finding an internet provider that lets you jump from one plan to another without any lock-in contracts or early exit fees could be important if you like to compare regularly. If you don’t need to worry about any surprise exit fees, you can confidently move to an internet plan that best suits your home and budget.
Bundles and extras
Some internet providers offer bundled mobile phone plans for some extra savings. Others can come with additional special features, like discounts on certain streaming services. These extra perks might not make or break which provider you choose, but they could be an extra point worth thinking about.
Data limits
Most NBN service plans come with unlimited data, but it’s still worth double-checking. Even with an unlimited data plan, you could find your internet speed slowing down once your data reaches a certain limit, so make sure to read the details of your plan.
Customer service
When internet problems happen, having a provider that’s easy to get in touch with will make all the difference. A little research at the start of your comparing journey, which could be as simple as reading some reviews on how responsive they are, could save you hours of being moved from one phone line to another.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of internet plans are out there?
Types of home internet plans available in Australia include Mobile broadband, home wireless internet or the NBN. The NBN network has a range of wired connection types, plus satellite and fixed wireless. The exact type of broadband plans available for your home depends on what’s available in your area.
NBN is now Australia’s main way to get internet. By supplementing existing copper cables with supercharged fibre-optic ones, it’s helped send high-speed internet around the country. Depending on where you live, these are some of the fixed-line or wireless NBN connection types that could be available to you:
- Fibre to the premises brings fibre-optic cables right to your house, making it the fastest type of NBN connection.
- Fibre to the node brings fibre-optic cables to a node near your house.
- Fibre to the building is often used in apartment buildings. Fibre-optic cables travel to the building, and then existing technologies take the final steps to each apartment.
- Fibre to the curb brings fibre-optic cables to a central point near your house.
- Hybrid fibre coaxial uses both fibre-optic cables and the same sort of cable as pay TV connections.
- Fixed wireless uses the same technology as your mobile phone to connect to the internet. This is typically available in rural areas.
- Satellite connection beams down data from 2 Sky Muster satellites. While it may sound high-tech, it’s a slow way of getting NBN and is only available in the more remote parts of Australia.
You might also find wi-fi plans that use mobile broadband or home wireless broadband. Both of these technologies connect to the internet via 4G or 5G towers, like your mobile plan. The main difference is that home wireless broadband requires a modem that’s connected to power, whereas you can connect to mobile broadband via a dongle or a data-only SIM card.
What internet providers does iSelect compare?
iSelect compares internet plans from Optus, Mate, Swoop, Superloop and Tangerine. By using iSelect to help you compare, you can save time and effort while finding an internet plan that matches your household needs.
How do I switch internet providers?
To switch internet providers, you’ll need to compare to find a new internet plan, contact your current provider and start the switch-over process to your new internet provider. Once you’ve chosen your new provider, you’ll need to contact your existing one and let them know you’re changing service providers, but don’t cancel your existing internet plan until your new one is active. You should also check for any early exit fees you might have to pay. After talking to your new provider and checking whether you need a new modem or equipment like a router, you just need to wait until your new internet service is ready.
If you’ve been using an email account connected to your old internet provider, you’ll want to transfer your information out of there, too. Then hey presto, you’re ready for the change.
How long does it take to switch internet providers?
Switching internet providers can take a couple of hours to a few days. The exact length of time will vary depending on your existing internet connection or if you need a completely new connection installed. If you’re just switching from one NBN connection to another, it could take only a few hours to get up and running. If you need to deal with things like new modems or infrastructure changes, it could be a bit a few days or longer.
Get started on comparing NBN plans today!
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*iSelect’s partnered with CIMET Sales Pty Ltd (ABN 72 620 395 726) to help you compare a range of internet plans and providers. Not all internet plan providers or plans in the market are compared. The availability of plans may change from time to time. Not all plans available from CIMET providers are compared. Due to commercial arrangements, area or availability, not all plans compared will be available to all customers. Click here to view CIMET’s range of providers. iSelect and CIMET earn a commission for every internet plan sold.