Save time and effort by comparing a range of internet providers and plans with iSelect*
The NBN may have reached your area, and you may be shopping around to find an NBN plan that suits your needs. You want strong WiFi, fast loading, and enough data at the right price. Yet with so many providers, so many plans and so much technical jargon, you’re understandably confused. Luckily, we’re here to help.
Speed is how fast you can upload or download content to and from the internet – or how many bits of data are transferred each second where one million bits per second is 1Mbps. The NBN offers customers several speed tiers, though some providers offer just two or three.
Watch out for providers who advertise ‘up to’ speeds as these may be unrealistic during peak hours (7pm – 11pm) when more people are online and NBN connections slow down due to ‘congestion’. Choose a service provider that’s open about the average speeds you can realistically expect to achieve.
Also, remember that there are other factors that can affect internet speed, like the type of technology and connection you have (which is the same regardless of which provider you choose), and the type of content being downloaded or uploaded.
Most of us spend much of our day using the internet. Whether it’s accessing social media, emails, or reading the news online during the day, to streaming high definition movies & TV shows, or gaming at night, the speed of your internet plan can significantly impact your lifestyle.
For the best experience online, it may be worthwhile to select a higher speed internet plan. That will allow you to get the most out of your time online, and prevent you from wasting time waiting for web pages and videos to load. So even if you’re a light internet user, you’ll still enjoy a much improved experience online with a faster plan. That said, just how fast a plan you need will depend on your individual needs and lifestyle.
As well as speed, you’ll want to know much data allowance you need before choosing an NBN plan. Again, this will depend on how the people in your home use the internet.
According to NBNCo, homes connected to the NBN network are consuming around 112GB per month1, but to find out how much data you typically use in your household, check a recent bill, your user portal for data usage, or see where you sit below.
Be aware that if you go for a plan with a data limit and exceed it, some providers will slow your speed until the end of the billing cycle, while others will automatically top you up for a fee or charge you for excess usage.
When it comes to finding an NBN plan, comparing costs for speed and data is straightforward enough once you know what you’re looking for.
However, there are a number of other variables you’ll need to consider, such as contract options and quality of customer and technical support, expenses like modems, set up costs and cancellation fees. When you factor in bundling options like landline, mobile phone and entertainment, things can get complicated.
While it certainly pays to do the research, it can be time consuming and complex trying to compare apples with apples – and that’s why we’re here. Why not give us a call on 13 19 20 so we can do the hard work for you. Tell us a bit about yourself and your household, and we’ll help you compare internet plans today.
Sources:
1.https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/media-centre/media-statements/aussies-watching13billionhoursofonlinecontentayearabs