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.
How much speed do you need in your NBN plan?
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.
- Standard – minimum speeds during peak times should be 15Mbps:
This type of plan is best for small families and is fast enough for streaming video services like Netflix in standard definition, though not if several devices are being used simultaneously.
- Standard Plus – minimum speeds during peak times should be 30Mbps:
This speed tier is ideal for medium sized households with a significant demand for the internet. It’s fast enough for multiple people to use the internet at the same time.
- Premium – minimum speeds during peak times should be 60Mbps:
Premium level plans are the best choice for at-home businesses, heavy duty downloaders, gamers and entertainment streamers. If this is you, a Premium plan will keep you happy even at peak times.
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.
The benefits of higher speed internet
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.
How much data do you need in your NBN plan?
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.
- Up to 100gb per month – best for households with 1-3 devices focused on light internet usage like emailing and browsing text-based content.
- Up to 500gb per month – good for families who regularly share and watch videos, and spend time on a range of apps to stay connected online.
- Unlimited – ideal for homes where 3-6 devices are being used to access the web for gaming, surfing and watching video and TV.
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.
Things to consider when comparing NBN plans
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.
Looking for an easier way to compare NBN plans? Compare today with iSelect
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
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