The demand for speedy internet is higher than ever, with more and more Aussies switching to faster internet plans. When NBN Co first released the option for NBN 250 and NBN 1000 speeds, the number of providers offering these plans was very limited; however, these tiers are becoming more commonly available. So if you’ve been looking to switch to a faster speed, there are now more choices than ever on offer.
A report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released in August 2021, saw an additional 400,000 residential NBN customers switch to higher NBN speeds. Considering that not all homes can access these speeds due to technology types, it’s an increasingly growing number, and proves that there is a real thirst for fast internet plans.
Now, AGL is the latest internet provider to join the fast NBN club, with plans now available on NBN 250 and NBN 1000 speed tiers. The energy provider is still rather new to the internet plan game, and offers some decent value for money if you’re looking to bundle your internet and energy plans with the one company.
AGL NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans
AGL’s two new plans include Home Superfast (NBN 250) and Home Ultrafast (NBN 1000) speeds, with NBN 1000 the fastest speed tier currently available in Australia. While those are the speeds the plans can potentially reach, actual speeds experienced may differ. Currently, AGL doesn’t list a typical evening speed (TES) for these plans, as there isn’t enough data to give that estimate — once customers sign up to these plans and AGL can measure these speeds, a TES should be made available.
To give you an idea of the typical peak-hour speeds you might expect from NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans, you might want to look at what is listed by other telcos (keeping in mind that not all providers will be able to reach the same speeds). Aussie Broadband lists 243Mbps for NBN 250 and 600Mbps for NBN 1000, Telstra lists 250Mbps for NBN 250 and 700Mbps for NBN 1000, while iiNet lists a 200Mbps TES for both NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans.
The NBN 250 plan from AGL is $129 per month. However, if you’re an AGL energy customer and bundle your internet, you’ll save $15 per month on your NBN plan, bringing down the cost to $114 per month. For NBN 1000, you’ll pay $149 per month, but with the $15 bundling discount applied, it will cost $134 per month.
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited AGL NBN plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of monthly cost, from lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $129 over first month |
Unlimited | $129 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $149 over first month |
Unlimited | $149 | Go to Site |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
The standard pricing is on the more expensive side, when compared to plans from some other providers. But if you decide to bundle, the $15 discount does bring it down to that cheaper price mark that you see from other telcos offering extra-fast speeds.
For existing AGL energy customers, it might make sense to bundle your internet to take advantage of the discount. However, if you have an energy plan with another provider, switching to AGL might not offer you the best value for money. It’s worth comparing energy plans before jumping into a new provider if you’re keen to bundle your services.
If you choose an NBN plan with AGL, you’ll get a month-to-month plan and unlimited data. You’ll have the option to either BYO modem or add a modem on to your plan. If you stay connected to your plan for 12 months, you’ll pay $0 on the modem, but if you cancel your AGL NBN plan, you’ll need to pay off any remaining costs of the $150 modem (charged at $12.50 per month for however many months are left before reaching 12 months).
To compare prices between some telcos offering these super fast NBN plans, you can check the table below. Switch between the tabs to compare plans from the different speed tiers.
The following tables show a selection of unlimited Home Superfast (NBN 250) plans on Canstar Blue’s database listed in order of standard monthly cost, from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
The following tables show a selection of unlimited Home Ultrafast (NBN 1000) plans on Canstar Blue’s database listed in order of standard monthly cost, from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
Should I sign up to a fast NBN plan?
As much as everyone would like to have the fastest internet speeds available, these plans don’t suit all users. They’re generally best for larger households (six or more people) and homes with very high internet demands, such as 4K and 8K video streaming, downloading large files and high-intensity online gaming.
These plans are also very expensive, with most plans easily costing over $100 without discounts. If you’re after faster speeds but don’t have the budget for a more expensive plan, you might be better off looking into the NBN 100 speed tier. This speed can handle heavy usage needs such as HD and 4K video streaming, plus online gaming and multiple devices connected at the same time. Plans with NBN 100 speeds can easily be found for around $80-$90 per month, which can be around $30 cheaper than some of the NBN 250 plans.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all home NBN connection types will be able to reach the speeds of a fast NBN plan. Typically only FTTP and some HFC connections are compatible with NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans (and even NBN 100). Before signing up to a fast NBN plan, you should check your address with the provider, or find out what your NBN connection type is by checking your address on the NBN Co website.
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