Canstar Blue
Outstanding Value Award Methodology – High Speed NBN Plans

Last updated: March 2024

What is the Canstar Blue High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award?

Canstar Blue’s High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award uses a sophisticated rating methodology, unique to Canstar Blue, which compares providers’ suite of high speed NBN products offered to consumers.

The Canstar Blue High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award is awarded to the provider that provides the strongest high speed NBN offering across consumer profiles from Canstar Blue’s NBN Value Rank, which include the combination of NBN speed tiers and data inclusions.

What are the types of plans considered in the High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award?

Canstar Blue’s High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award considers high speed NBN fixed line plans which utilise a physical line running to the premises.

Plan Type Description
NBN Fixed Line High Speed NBN Plans which utilise the physical line running to the premises (FTTP, FTTB, HFC, FTTC and FTTN) are considered.

What are the consumer profiles considered in the High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award?

Canstar Blue takes into account NBN speed tier on High Speed NBN Plans. The following combination of consumer variables from Canstar Blue’s High Speed NBN Value Rank determine the plan requirements for each profile:

Data Allowance Speed Tier*
Unlimited 150 Mbps or higher

270 Mbps or higher

600 Mbps or higher

*Note: Speed tiers are based on Typical Evening Speeds. For further information on NBN speed tiers, please refer to NBN co.

How does it work? How is the High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award determined?

The High Speed NBN Plans Outstanding Value Award assesses the cumulative performance of a provider’s offering across NBN speed tiers and modem profiles over a six-month period. NBN speed tiers are assessed over three tiers: 150 Mbps or higher, 270 Mbps or higher and 600 Mbps or higher. High Speed NBN Plans are assessed within two distinct groups: Standard (plans that include a modem) and Standard + BYO (plans that
either do or do not include a modem). The cumulative score of these two profiles is then used to compare each provider’s overall performance. The below outlines the weighted average consideration across each NBN speed tier and profile.

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Source: Canstar Blue

For each High Speed NBN speed tier considered, a provider’s best performing plan at an unlimited data allowance from Canstar Blue’s High Speed NBN Value Rank is considered.

For each plan, Canstar Blue considers the estimated cost of a plan against its included features, by providing an average monthly cost over 24 months, and feature score for Customer Service and Support, Inclusions, and Billing and Payments. Canstar Blue considers plan features most relevant to consumers in the calculation of Value Rank. However, not every feature is included in the Value Rank, nor every feature that is relevant to you.

The above is a brief overview of the elements considered in Canstar Blue’s High Speed NBN Plan Outstanding Value Award. For further detail on how individual plans are assessed, please refer to the High Speed NBN Value Rank Methodology document.

Does Canstar rate all products in the market?

Canstar Blue endeavours to include the majority of providers and products in the market and to compare product features relevant to most consumers in our ratings. However, this process is not always possible, and it may be that not every provider and/or product in the market is included in the rating, nor every feature compared that is relevant to you.

How often are plans reviewed for the NBN Value Rank?

Canstar monitors changes on an ongoing basis, and the Value Rank, Price Score and Feature Scores of each plan are fully re-calculated every day.

How are the plans ordered?

Canstar ranks High Speed NBN plans based on value-for-money. Whereby, the Value Rank takes into account a plan’s average monthly cost over 24 months and features offered as compared to the market. The plans that are lower in cost and have more features will be ranked higher than plans which have higher cost and fewer features.


Canstar Blue Research Team

Learn more about Canstar Blue’s Research Team

This methodology and the many others Canstar Blue uses to conduct it’s in-depth consumer research are managed by Canstar Blue’s in-house Research Team. They provide the expertise that powers our Star Ratings and Awards, designed to help Australian consumers make more informed purchasing decisions.

Meet the Research Team