Tara Donnelly

Tara Donnelly is Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, leading the team that focuses on energy, telecommunications and consumer technology, across news, reviews and how-tos. Tara has spent more than a decade covering these topics in Australia, the US and Canada, which means she’s written about countless product launches and industry changes, including the rise of 5G, Australia’s ongoing NBN rollout, the recent years of energy price volatility and the rise of renewable energy sources. Tara also has long experience in writing within the comparison industry, giving her great insights into the information consumers want when determining which plan or device will best meet their needs, while time spent in the financial sector before turning her talent to content lets her crunch the numbers on price with ease. Tara leads the coverage of Canstar Blue’s ratings and awards for the internet and phone sectors and is an expert at advising consumers on how to use comparison tools to find the best power, internet or phone deal. Her expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC and The Sydney Morning Herald. Tara has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canberra and is passionate about simplifying complex subjects so consumers aren’t just informed, they’re connected and confident.




Young woman in yellow jacket using smartphone outdoors

Optus raises mobile plan prices, but adds more data

Posted by February 22nd 2023

Optus has made sweeping changes to its Choice postpaid mobile plans, increasing the monthly cost but adding substantially more data. The key changes include bumping up all plan prices by $6 per month, but offering up …


LG Velvet 5G phones in various colours

LG to leave smartphone business by mid-2021

Posted by February 22nd 2023

Pour one out for LG Mobile: the electronics company has announced it's now calling time on its worldwide smartphone business. In a statement released over the Easter break, LG confirmed plans to close its mobile unit, …


Several mesh wifi units

What is the best mesh Wifi in Australia?

Posted by May 10th 2024

Reliable WiFi is a non-negotiable need for most Aussie households But if you're struggling to get a strong signal in every room of your home, simply switching broadband plans may not be enough to improve …


Happy young couple watching laptop on sofa

ACCC report: TPG beats Optus for fastest NBN speeds

Posted by May 27th 2022

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its new report on NBN speeds and performance, the first for 2021 and 12th quarterly report to date. Analysing the average download, upload and streaming-specific speeds …



Woman at home using laptop on bed

Kogan launches bundle offer for energy and NBN customers

Posted by August 22nd 2024

Retailer-of-all-trades Kogan is launching a new bundle offer to entice customers to jump on board with both energy and home internet plans. Sign on for Kogan Internet and Kogan Energy, stay with both plans for at …


Cheetah cubs on a white background

The fastest NBN plans in Australia

Posted by April 10th 2024

Whether you're on the hunt for your first NBN plan, or you're a current NBN user with the need for speed, you may be wondering just how fast Australia's broadband network can get. Speed is …


Young couple taking selfie in front of blue brick wall

Telstra still number one for 5G mobile speeds and coverage

Posted by February 22nd 2023

Although it's still early days for 5G networks in Australia, the next-generation mobile technology is becoming increasingly available in major metro and suburban areas across the country. Optus, Telstra and Vodafone are each in the …