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Unlimited internet has been a blessing for data-conscious users for many years, as the concern associated with data running dry prior to the end of the month is no longer an issue. Finding the perfect unlimited NBN plan to suit your needs may seem like an onerous task, but it’s not as difficult as you might think. Read more about unlimited NBN plans and how to compare the best offers on the market in this comprehensive guide.
There are a multitude of ways that you can approach the comparison process when it comes to finding the right unlimited NBN plan to suit your needs. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, you should do this with Savvy. Our comparison tools will help you contrast the cheapest and best unlimited NBN plans on the market right now in all the areas that matter most to you. Here are some of the key areas you should be considering when comparing unlimited NBN plans.
NBN speed tier
This is perhaps the most relevant and will (almost wholly) shape your broadband experience. The NBN offers customers six potential speed tiers to access their internet, which are the following:
Each of these offers a different prospect in terms of the user experience under an unlimited NBN plan, namely with the speed at which they’re able to process data. They’re designed so that users are afforded greater choice when deciding on an NBN plan when it comes to the strength and speed of their internet. For instance, a couple living in a small apartment who only use the internet sparingly shouldn’t have to pay for the same internet service that an entire small business requires, as they simply don’t require a connection of that strength.
Each of these speed tiers are offered on plans with unlimited data, which are perhaps the most common and popular to buy these days, so the one you choose to go with will cater to your data usage needs regardless of the speed at which it operates.
NBN connection type
There are seven main connection types that you’ll find when comparing between unlimited NBN plans. While you may not be afforded a choice in this area, depending upon your ISP and the existing infrastructure at your home or business, you should be aware of the differences between each one. The table below outlines these connections and how they work:
| How it works | Why it might be right for you | Why it might not be right for you | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) |
Fibre optic cables are run directly from your home or business into the wider NBN network, with a modem facilitating NBN access |
FTTP connections are the most powerful and fastest available to Australians on the NBN, so you’ll be able to reach top speeds with this type of connection |
If you have to have your infrastructure rebuilt to allow NBN access, FTTP is usually the most expensive to install and you could be waiting months for it to be complete |
|
Fibre to the Node (FTTN) |
Fibre optic cables running from a central node in your area connect to your home’s existing copper cables from telephone lines |
FTTN is now the most common, and typically the most easily installed, type of NBN connection, with prices generally cheaper than more invasive installations |
Because of its use of copper cables, FTTN’s speed capacity is reduced, while the speeds you’re able to access with this connection may be limited by your distance from the node |
|
Fibre to the Building (FTTB) |
A fibre optic cable is laid in the communications room of your apartment or hotel building, which connects to existing copper wiring which runs through your home or room |
If you’re living in an apartment block, especially a high-rise, this is likely to be the only option available to you when it comes to establishing an NBN connection |
Like FTTN connections, copper cables ensure that the quality of connection that you’ll receive is compromised and top speeds may not be achieved |
|
Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) |
A fibre optic cable connected to an NBN distribution box on or near your street is laid up to your premises, often the edge of the driveway, and connected to your home through copper cables |
FTTC connections reduce the amount of copper required to in your NBN connection, potentially increasing their efficacy and allowing you to access greater speeds |
Unfortunately, some copper is still worse than no copper, so FTTC connections also won’t be able to support NBN 250 and NBN 1000 speeds |
|
Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) |
This type of cable is often used for pay TV services and is able to be connected to the central NBN node using cable network lines rather than copper ones |
It avoids the use of copper cables, meaning that HFC connections are capable of supporting speeds of up to 1000Mbps and can be more easily upgraded to a FTTP connection |
Because it connects to a node like a FTTN connection, your property’s distance from the access point may dictate the speeds which you’re able to reach with your unlimited NBN plan |
|
NBN Fixed Wireless |
Homes and businesses are connected to the NBN with an external antenna which sends and receives radio signals from an NBN transmission tower up to 14km away |
For those living in locations where physical NBN connections aren’t possible, Fixed Wireless is one of the only options on offer to customers looking to purchase an unlimited NBN plan |
Because this connection is wireless, internet speeds can be unreliable and inconsistent depending on your distance away from the transmission tower and activity on the network |
|
NBN Sky Muster Satellite |
A satellite dish is installed on the roof of the home, along with a modem, to establish a connection with one of two NBN satellites that receive data from ground stations |
This is often the only viable option for people living in rural areas with limited access to fixed line NBN networks, providing access to faster internet that otherwise may not have been possible |
Data is far more restricted with Satellite connections, typically only allowing for up to 200-300GB per month of data and thus ruling it out as an unlimited NBN plan option |
Fees
A set of additional costs you’re likely to encounter when comparing unlimited NBN plans is the plan’s fees. There are a number of fees that may be charged on top of your monthly charge, such as initial setup fees (which can cost up to or over $100), modem costs (between $100 and $200, but can exceed this) and delivery fees (up to $20). It’s important to note that all these fees can be waived by ISPs, so if avoiding fees is one of your priorities, you should look for plans which don’t charge you for these.
Contract term
Another consideration when comparing unlimited NBN plans is whether there is a contract required as part of your deal. Lock-in contracts can strip you of your freedom to switch between ISPs within the first six to 12 months of your NBN plan, which may be important to you. Some customers may be reluctant to commit to a plan long-term to keep themselves open to taking advantage of great introductory offers that appear on the market. However, one feature that contracts do have is that they generally sidestep setup and other upfront fees, so they could end up saving you money if you plan on sticking with your ISP in the long term.
ISP
Overall, though, you should have a good handle on the type of ISP you want to go with. There are different types of ISPs that occupy the market in Australia: those whose approach includes offering the widest selection of products and services, those who focus on supplying the fastest internet and those who offer the cheapest nbn plans. Each have their pros and cons and will be attractive to different people, so it’s worth considering where your broadband plan preferences lie. You should ask yourself the following questions to determine this:
Of all the speed tiers, unlimited NBN plans are usually the cheapest with the slower speed tiers, being NBN 12 and 25. This is because prices rise as the performance of your internet increases. For example, unlimited NBN 100 plans will obviously cost more than an unlimited NBN 25 plan as the service it offers essentially quadruples that of the inferior plan. There are plenty of examples of cheap unlimited plans for each speed tier, however, and the cheapest have been listed below.
NBN 12: A clear winner in this respect is Spintel’s WhistleOut Exclusive NBN Unlimited Entry Plan, which offers unlimited data at a cost of just $39 per month for the first six months. This price reverts to $49.95 thereafter, which is still a very affordable cost for an unlimited NBN 12 plan.
NBN 25: Tangerine’s Standard Speed Unlimited also takes advantage of an affordable initial cost of just $44.90 per month for six months, which increases to $59.90 after this period. MATE also offers unlimited NBN 25 plans at $59 per month.
NBN 50: At a six-month cost of just $50 with no contracts, Exetel offer the cheapest initial price for an unlimited NBN 50 plan. However, given that this rises to $79 after this period, you might be better off in the long-term going for either Spintel, Tangerine or Superloop, whose plans cap out at between $65 and $70.
NBN 100: In terms of unlimited NBN 100 plans, MATE is amongst the cheapest with an offer of $79 per month. For short-term buyers, however, Dodo’s nbn100 Unlimited Plan offers an initial $72 per month with no contract obligations, which ultimately rises to $85 plus includes a $60 upfront cost.
NBN 250: Optus and Telstra offer unlimited data with the new NBN 250 speed tier, offering unlimited plans at just $90 and $100 per month respectively. However, their modems both cost upwards of $200. MATE offers an unlimited Superfast plan at an initial $89, rising to $109, without setup fees, while MyRepublic has the same at a starting price of $99.
NBN 1000: Because NBN 1000 plans are still in their infancy, there aren’t as many ISPs on the market offering them. Telstra’s $130 unlimited data plan, Optus’ $120 and MyRepublic’s $99 (up to $129 after six months) are the best prices on the market, although the latter two may only hit evening speeds of 250Mbps and 350Mbps respectively.
*Unlimited NBN plan prices are likely to change over time, so these may not be wholly reflective of the deals available to you.
The entire comparison process is free with us, meaning you can use it as many times as you like.
You’ll be able to consider competitive offers from some of Australia’s leading internet providers before you buy.
You can compare plans 24/7 with our online form regardless of where in Australia you’re living.
With an unlimited NBN plan, you can use as much or as little as you like each month while paying the same amount
No cap on your internet usage means that you don’t have to worry about running out of much-needed data before the end of the month
If you’re downloading massive amounts of data each month, you could end up getting good value for money on your unlimited NBN plan
For most people on unlimited data, you’re unlikely to consistently exceed the usage a cap would limit you to, meaning you’re paying extra for data you may not use
The “privilege” of unlimited data comes with an added price tag
Even if you manage to score a great deal on your unlimited NBN plan, many of the cheapest and best unlimited NBN plans only offer cheap introductory rates before reverting to expensive ones.
Disclaimer:
Savvy is partnered with Econnex Comparison (CIMET Sales Pty Ltd, ABN 72 620 395 726) to provide readers with a variety of internet plans to compare. We do not compare all retailers in the market, or all plans offered by all retailers. Savvy earns a commission from Econnex each time a customer buys an internet plan via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased directly, as all purchases are conducted via Econnex.
Any advice presented above is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an internet plan. For further information on the variety of internet plans compared by Econnex, or how their business works, you can visit their website.
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© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.
© Copyright 2024 Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd T/as Savvy. All Rights Reserved.
Quantum Savvy Pty Ltd (ABN 78 660 493 194) trades as Savvy and operates as an Authorised Credit Representative 541339 of Australian Credit Licence 414426 (AFAS Group Pty Ltd, ABN 12 134 138 686). We are one of Australia’s leading financial comparison sites and have been helping Australians make savvy decisions when it comes to their money for over a decade.
We’re partnered with lenders, insurers and other financial institutions who compensate us for business initiated through our website. We earn a commission each time a customer chooses or buys a product advertised on our site, which you can find out more about here, as well as in our credit guide for asset finance. It’s also crucial to read the terms and conditions, Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) or credit guide of our partners before signing up for your chosen product. However, the compensation we receive doesn’t impact the content written and published on our website, as our writing team exercises full editorial independence.
For more information about us and how we conduct our business, you can read our privacy policy and terms of use.
