A Guide for Choosing an NBN Plan

Content OageHero Image CRO Overlay Image

Written by

|

Edited by

|

Reviewed by

Updated 23/04/2024
What changed?
Updated speed tiers; added sections on data, reliability, and cost
|
Fact checked
Our aim is to help you make better informed decisions. That’s why iSelect’s content is produced in accordance with our fact-checking and editorial guidelines.
|

Find out more about how we make money.

View our Privacy Policy.

Updated 23/04/2024

What changed?

Updated speed tiers; added sections on data, reliability, and cost
Our aim is to help you make better informed decisions. That’s why iSelect’s content is produced in accordance with our fact-checking and editorial guidelines.

Reviewed by

Alex Kidman

Find out more about how we make money.

View our Privacy Policy.

Compare NBN plans the easy way

Save time and effort by comparing a range of NBN plans and providers online

What kind of NBN bandwidth do I need? 

Your bandwidth needs could help you hone in on an NBN Plan. Without getting too deep into tech-speak, bandwidth is how much information can be sent and received in a particular time frame over the Internet. Generally, you’ll see people talking about bandwidth as megabits per second (Mbps).  

For your NBN Plan, bandwidth will likely refer to your download and upload speed. If you’ve ever wondered what numbers like ‘100/20’ or ‘12/1’ mean on an NBN Plan, this is those Mbps. The first number is your download speed and the second is your upload speed. 

If you want to watch lots of high-quality TV and movies (and we’re not talking about the quality of the script or the acting) on multiple devices, you may want to pick a plan that has a higher bandwidth. This will help you quickly download your shows and stop any buffering during the climax. 

For those that WFH and need to transfer big files, a higher upload speed may mean you aren’t having to take endless coffee breaks to let those files finish uploading. Higher upload speeds could also be worth considering if you do a lot of video calls and you want people to see just how beautiful you are rather than a pixellated mess. 

Helpful Tip:

Before signing up for any NBN plan, it’s important to know what kind of connection type you have and how that might affect the speeds available to you. If you’re on fibre-to-the-premises or hybrid fibre coaxial NBN, you’ve typically got access to every single speed tier and can shop around more widely for the best price and speed combination for your needs, but the same isn’t the case for FTTN NBN connections or any wireless NBN connection, where your speeds are limited and so are your choices.

Alex Kidman

Tech Journalist

What different NBN speed tiers are there and which do I need? 

The NBN speed tiers may help you get a better handle on which NBN Plans have the bandwidth you’re after. Although, you may like to keep in mind that the speeds you can get may vary depending on the Internet Provider, your NBN connection type and even the time of day. You might not get your best Internet speeds in that peak 7–11pm period when we’re all watching Netflix or scrolling through socials. 

Something else you might want to consider too is that you may not always see plans advertised with the below speed tier name — but this is how NBN Co breaks them down. Reading through the fine print, including checking that download/upload Mbps rate, could help you put the pieces together though.

Home Basic I
Typical evening download speed = 12Mbps
If you’re just after the basics, Home Basic I might be all you need. On Basic I, you won’t be downloading or uploading anything quickly (three hours or so is the advised time for downloading 10GB or uploading 1GB) It’s fine for non-fixed line connections like Sky Muster and Fixed Wireless too.
Home Basic II
Typical evening download speed = 25Mbps
These speeds mean quicker downloads and uploads (think a little over an hour to download 10GB and 35 minutes to upload 1GB). Plus, when there’s a fixed line connection, you could be getting pretty consistent upload and download speeds, even during peak night-time hours.
Home Standard
Typical evening download speed = 50Mbps
Home Standard’s the next step up in speed, able to download 10GB in 35 minutes or upload 1GB in nine minutes. However, your upload speeds may not ever reach that promised 20Mbps, even in the dead of night. 
Home Fast
Typical evening download speed = 250Mbps
If your household is filled with binge watchers and gamers, or you’re regularly working from home, Home Fast might be more your speed. Talking specifics, you’re looking at downloading a 10GB file in 17 minutes and uploading 1GB in nine. Your upload and download speed shouldn’t tank much either, even in peak hours.
Home Superfast
Typical evening download speed = 700Mbps
With an NBN Home Superfast Plan you could stream 4K video on up to 10 devices at once while also video calling friends and family, download a 10GB file in seven minutes and you could upload a 1GB file in seven minutes. Only available on Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) or Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connections.
Home Ultrafast
Typical evening download speed = 800Mbps+
With download speeds typically sitting at 800Mbps or more, this speed tier is for Internet users who need something incredibly fast.  In terms of downloading a 10GB file, you could do it in two minutes. Uploading a 1GB file doesn’t take much longer either. As you might expect, Home Ultrafast can only be pulled off on an FTTP or HFC connection. 

What about data allowance? 

For the most part, you’re fairly unlikely to run into an NBN Plan these days that has a data allowance. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule. Some lower-end plans, like those for Sky Muster or fixed wireless connections, may have data limits. However, it may vary between providers. 

If you’re worried about ending up on a limited data plan, it may be worth looking into the fine print of any NBN Plan you’re eyeing off before you agree to it. You could also ask the Internet Provider if they have an unlimited option available. 

What will an NBN Plan cost me? 

There’s no set price for NBN Plans, so it is always worthwhile to shop around for one that offers you the best value. You may like to keep in mind what speeds are realistic for your household — while it can be tempting to get a top-of-the-range tier plan, it may not be necessary if you’re only planning to stream the odd movie in the evenings.  

Are NBN Plans reliable? 

While dial-up may have left us dropping out all over the place, the NBN tends to be a lot more reliable, regardless of the plan you’re on. Looking at outages in September 2023 for all types of NBN connections except Sky Muster, 78% of them had either no outages or at most an outage every other day.1Australian Competition and Consumer Commission – Measuring Broadband Australia Program, Twenty-third Report, December 2023, p21, 27 and 31 Even those that did experience outages more regularly rarely had them last for over 10 minutes.2As above 

When it comes to reliability, there’s a few factors at play. Firstly, your connection type could make a difference. Higher end fixed line connections, like HFC or FTTP, tend to have fewer regular outages. At the same time, some connection types could limit your internet speed. 

Next to consider is your Internet Provider. How they manage traffic across their network, including ensuring they have the capacity for that traffic, could mean drops in speed and performance. At the same time, the National Broadband Network itself could have faults or maintenance issues that see your plan not quite pulling its weight. 

The tech you’re using to access the Internet could also leave you feeling like you’re dealing with less reliable speeds. Old modems and routers may not be able to keep up with higher speeds, and old devices might not be able to cope with them either. Plus, even though many of the speed tiers above allow for multiple devices to be actively using the Internet at once, it could leave your Internet chugging. It may help to remember that the speed your NBN Plan offers is shared between devices. 

Where can I compare NBN Plans? 

If you want to get connected to the NBN or simply see if another NBN Plan could give you better value, we’re here to help. iSelect has partnered with CIMET to bring you a range of plans from different Internet Providers, making it easy to compare and choose your winner. Try out our online comparison tool for yourself today.

Get started on comparing NBN plans today!

Save time and effort by comparing a range of NBN plans and providers online

*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.