Australia’s home broadband market is currently dominated by four major service providers – Telstra, Optus, TPG Telecom and Vocus Communications. However, the advent of the government-funded National Broadband Network (NBN) means many smaller telcos can now also offer competitive internet plans that rival those of the big guys.
Thanks to the NBN’s combination of a single widespread, high-speed network and affordable wholesale prices, smaller operators no longer need to piggyback on infrastructure belonging to a few big companies.
Dozens of smaller internet service providers (ISPs) have sprung up in the last few years to take advantage of the NBN, and many offer plans which provide similar or even better value NBN plans compared to the major players. With this in mind, we’ve taken a close look at some of the best NBN providers you’ve probably never heard of, to see what deals they have on offer. Read on for details or jump straight into our internet comparison tool. This list is not an endorsement of these brands – we’re just bringing some new ones to your attention!
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NBN Plans & Prices
If you are looking for an NBN provider that you’re potentially a bit more familiar with, why not check out the brands below? The table below contains affiliate links.
The following table shows a selection of sponsored unlimited data Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50), and Premium Evening Speed (NBN 100) plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners..
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $63.90) Typical evening speed of 50Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$63.90 Cost/month |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $65) Typical evening speed of 50Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$65 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $69) Typical evening speed of 98Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$69 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
Unlimited Home Standard (NBN 50) Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 50 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost (excluding discounts), from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited Home Fast (NBN 100) Plans
The table below shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 100 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of monthly cost, from the 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.
Tangerine Telecom
Tangerine offers some juicy deals with some of the cheapest entry-level plans out there. Plans come on a no lock-in contract as standard with the option to add a modem. This means that you could potentially sign up to an NBN plan with no extra costs – just pay the monthly fee and off you go.
Tangerine offers NBN plans across most speed tiers, starting at NBN 25 and going up to NBN 1000 speeds. Currently, you can score a monthly discount on your plan for your first six months of service. There is a $0 setup fee across all three plans and if you decide to add on a modem, you’ll have several options to choose from. Overall, Tangerine offers really straightforward plans at a reasonable price with great flexibility.
The below table features a selection of published Tangerine Telco NBN plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers. These are products with links to a referral partner.
Flip
You may not have heard of Flip but the telco lays claim to some of the cheapest NBN deals in the country, with competitive unlimited data plans starting at a little over $50 a month, with discounts for new customers frequently on offer. Flip offers plans across almost all speed tiers — NBN 12, 25, 50, 100/20, and 250.
If you don’t want to BYO modem, you have a choice to add on a modem for an additional upfront cost and plans are available in a no lock-in contract.
The below table features a selection of published Flip plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our internet plan comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers. These are products with links to a referral partner.
Southern Phone
Southern Phone is a telco that is dedicated to providing service to regional areas and gives back to rural councils throughout Australia. Although this small telco is perhaps better known for its mobile phone plans, Southern Phone also provides some competitive NBN plans.
There are multiple different speeds on offer, and which speed you choose will determine which plans are available. If you have an eligible connection, you can also upgrade to NBN 100, NBN 250, or even NBN 1000.
Southern Phone’s NBN plans are all month-to-month and there are no setup fees. You can BYO modem or purchase a modem for $156 including postage. You can also choose from bundle plans with NBN, mobile and home phone included.
The below table features a selection of published Southern Phone NBN plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers. These are products with links to a referral partner.
Exetel
Exetel has some fairly cheap NBN plans, with most of the speed tiers available. Speeds available include NBN 25, NBN 50, NBN 100/20, NBN 100/40 and NBN 250 plans, all with unlimited data. You can choose to add on a modem to your plan, with two modems available, but you will need to pay for the modem upfront. Exetel seems to have come a long way in recent years and is one of the bigger providers in this list, with competitive rates.
The below table features a selection of published Exetel NBN plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers.
Mate
With a name like Mate, you’d definitely expect some fair dinkum deals – and they certainly deliver when it comes to competitive NBN plans. Mate offers plans across five different NBN speeds and all with unlimited data, so you do have a good selection to choose from. You can also choose to BYO modem, or add one to your plan for $165 upfront.
Mate also has an Aussie call centre, and all plans come with no lock-in contracts and no setup fees. You also have the option to add on home phone, or even bundle with a SIM-only mobile plan and save up to $10 per month.
The below table features a selection of published Mate NBN plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers.
Which NBN provider is best?
To cut a long story short, this review of NBN providers gives you a good idea about the value on offer if you’re willing to look past the big telcos. This is not to say the biggest service providers don’t have great NBN deals as well, because they often do, but it’s certainly worth considering all of your options before deciding where to spend your money.
There certainly are some amazing deals around, and with more than 100 total providers out there – with some location-specific – it’s virtually impossible to list all of them. In our review, all telcos offer something for everyone, and all offer some of the cheapest unlimited plans across the Basic, Standard Plus and Premium speed tiers.
All of the providers mentioned above offer at least fairly good value and each have their own selling points, with most boasting unlimited data as standard. It’s worth comparing a range of different providers to see what plan is right for you.
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