5G home internet plans are more widely available than in the early days of the 5G rollout and offer a fast internet alternative to the NBN. The table below shows 5G home broadband plans on our database. You can change the default settings to show other internet plans.
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5G is the latest generation of mobile technology in Australia and world-wide, which can deliver fast speeds wirelessly via 5G-enabled mobile networks. 5G home internet uses these networks to connect your home via a modem, hotspot, internet dongle or SIM card, depending on your choice of plan. It has even been touted as a possible ‘NBN killer’, promising speeds that can outstrip many of the fastest available residential NBN plans.
Opting for 5G over a wired connection offers flexibility and simple set-up, without the need for a phone line or a complicated installation process. You’ll also get faster speeds 4G home internet and you might even get faster speeds than the NBN, depending on which NBN plans are available at your address.
There are two types of 5G internet available to Australians: 5G home internet/home broadband and 5G mobile broadband. Both types use 5G cellular networks to wirelessly access the internet, but are a little different in how they operate and who they’re best suited to.
Mobile broadband is usually portable, with capped data inclusions. You can connect quickly and easily via a data-only SIM, USB dongle, or a WiFi hotspot. Mobile broadband is a good back-up for fixed-line broadband, and is great for travel and getting online when you’re away from home or WiFi.
Home wireless broadband is designed to replace your home’s wired broadband connection — such as NBN — and uses a plug-in modem to connect multiple devices. These plans tend to include unlimited data or more data for your money when compared to mobile broadband, but can’t be easily used on-the-go as you’ll need a power source for your modem.
Theoretically, 5G is capable of reaching speeds up to 1Gbps (or 1000Mbps). However, the speeds you’re likely to actually achieve depend on a number of factors, including:
It’s hard to say if 5G is ‘better’ than the NBN, but it could act as a fast and reliable alternative to the broadband network depending on your circumstances. However, it’s unlikely to ever operate as a replacement to fixed-line NBN plans.
Currently, the fastest NBN plans available to residential customers are on the NBN 1000 tier, which offers download speeds of up to 1000Mbps (that’s one gigabit per second). 5G speeds have been recorded in the 2Gbps region during telco tests, but average real-world 5G home internet speeds are around 220Mbps – 240Mbps during busy periods, depending on your location and provider.
While both the NBN and 5G internet can theoretically promise incredibly fast speeds, what you’re able to experience at home will vary due to your plan, budget, and – in the case of NBN – connection type. There are a lot of variables impacting both technology types, but as of mid-2021 most Australians are likely to find more reliable and affordable broadband by opting for the NBN.
While there aren’t nearly as many 5G home internet providers as there are NBN providers, you’ll still have a few plans and providers to choose from. The big three telcos which own and operate their own mobile networks — Telstra, Optus and Vodafone — all offer 5G home internet plans, along with a number of smaller providers which use one of these networks to deliver service.
Telstra was the first Australian telco to offer some form of 5G internet service to residential customers. While Telstra offers mobile broadband plans, if you’re looking for home wireless broadband with 5G access, you can pick up a 5G home internet plan from Telstra.
Unlike mobile broadband, Telstra 5G home internet is designed to be used at a single home address and isn’t portable – your modem is geo-locked to your street address. However, the plug-and-play modem makes setup easy (and is included free when you stay connected for 24 months), and will revert to 4G if it can’t connect to the 5G network. If you cancel your plan before 24 months, you’ll need to return your modem in good working order.
Optus was the first Australian provider to offer customers unlimited data for 5G internet plans, which is now more widespread and offers a better substitute for fixed-line internet plans. While Optus’ 5G home internet plans are available month-to-month and include a modem, you’ll need to stay connected for 36 months to get your modem for $0. Otherwise you’ll need to pay off the remaining modem costs if you cancel before 36 months.
Customers can choose between the cheaper Optus Plus Everyday plan with a download speed limit of 50Mbps, the faster Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G with 100Mbps speeds, or choose unrestricted speeds on the more expensive 5G Internet Entertainer Superfast option. All plans include a speed satisfaction guarantee of 40Mbps or 50Mbps (depending on the plan). Optus’ Entertainer plan also includes a standard subscription to Netflix, via Optus SubHub.
Vodafone is also rolling out its own 5G mobile network and has a selection of 5G home internet plans for eligible customers. Its Basic plan has a 20Mbps speed cap, the Plus plan has a 50Mbps speed cap, while the Premium plan has 100Mbps speed cap. You’ll also get a modem for $0 when you stay connected for 36 months, however you’ll need to return the modem if you cancel before then.
It’s worth noting that Vodafone does not offer an uncapped 5G plan. This also means with Vodafone 5G internet, you won’t be able to get maximum speeds as fast as what’s available on the NBN with certain NBN connections.
In addition to the big three telcos, there are a range of smaller providers also offering 5G home internet plans. TPG and iiNet — which are part of the TPG Telecom group along with Vodafone — offer plans on the Vodafone 5G network, while SpinTel and Yomojo offer plans on the Optus 5G network.
As Canstar Blue’s Senior Telco Specialist, Emma Bradstock covers all things mobile phone and internet, which she’s focused on for over five years. Emma has over a decade of professional writing experience across print and digital media outlets and for digital agencies, and has turned her hand to multimedia content and social media management. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media from Macquarie University. You can follow Emma on LinkedIn.
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Josh Filosi is Canstar’s Data Insights Analyst, and helps develop and deliver the methodology for Canstar Blue’s Value Rankings and Awards for the telco industry. He holds a double-major in Economics and Behavioral Science, and enjoys interpreting complex data. Connect with Josh on LinkedIn.
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