If you’re working from home, travelling often, or need to use the internet a lot for your job, it’s great to have mobile broadband, even just as a backup in the bottom of a drawer or bag.
We’re here to answer your questions about mobile broadband’s speed and how effective it would be at getting work done, so you can make the right call on if you should make the switch.
On this page:
Mobile broadband plans
We’ve put together a selection of mobile broadband plans on the market right now. You’ll need one with enough data that can keep you going. Activities like video calling, online gaming and streaming will chew through your data quickly, so if you do any of that you’ll need a plan with enough data to keep you busy. If you need mobile broadband as a simple emergency backup, any of these could help you out.
Telstra Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Telstra mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Small
min. cost $25 over one month |
30GB | $25 | |
|
Medium
min. cost $58 over one month |
75GB | $58 | |
|
Large
min. cost $90 over one month |
400GB | $90 | |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Vodafone Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Vodafone mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Small Data SIM Only Plan
min. cost $20 over first month |
30GB | $20 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Large Data SIM Only Plan
min. cost $40 over first month |
70GB | $40 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Amaysim Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Amaysim mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sim Only 7GB
min. cost $15 over 28 day billing period |
7GB | $15 | |
|
Sim Only 50GB
min. cost $40 over 28 day billing period |
50GB | $40 | |
|
Sim Only 90GB
min. cost $60 over 28 day billing period |
90GB | $60 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Southern Phone Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Southern Phone mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $180 over 12 month plan period |
7GB | $15 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $300 over 12 month plan period |
15GB | $25 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $480 over 12 month plan period |
50GB | $40 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $780 over 12 month plan period |
100GB | $65 | Go to Site |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Tangerine Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Tangerine mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $34.90 over first month |
100GB | $34.90 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $49.90 over first month |
200GB | $49.90 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $64.90 over first month |
400GB | $64.90 | Go to Site |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
The following table shows selected published Belong mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $15 over one month billing period |
20GB | $15 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $35 over one month billing period |
100GB | $35 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $70 over one month billing period |
400GB | $70 | Go to Site |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
What is mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband is a type of broadband that is generally more portable than home internet, which typically requires wiring. You can get mobile broadband in different ways — some providers typically issue you with a USB dongle or a modem to access their mobile broadband plans, while others could send you a data-only SIM card.
But the differences don’t end there. Mobile broadband operates on a separate network to NBN or ADSL connections. Rather than taking advantage of home wiring, mobile broadband uses the mobile networks operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone — the same networks that allow your phone to connect to the internet when you’re away from WiFi. So, this could be 4G or 5G.
This makes mobile broadband a great solution to getting online, and also a great alternative or backup to home broadband. It makes a lot of sense if you’re big on travelling, and need to stay online for your work.
How fast is mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband tends to stick around 12Mbps, similar to basic NBN speeds. In some cases it’s possible to reach download speeds of 20Mbps to 100Mbps, but this tends to be just in major cities where NBN is already rolled out. However, this does depend on whether the mobile broadband plan is using a 4G or 5G network.
Mobile broadband speeds explained
You should be able to reach download speeds of between 20Mbps and 100Mbps on a 4G mobile broadband connection. Some speeds max out at 12Mbps (similar to NBN Basic). Faster download speeds of up to 1Gbps are now possible if you live in an area with 5G network coverage and have a compatible device.
However, like the internet on your phone accessed through your normal SIM card, it depends on how reliable the network around you is. This comes back to Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Depending on their network coverage in your area, the quality of your mobile broadband connection can change.
Mobile broadband plans should reach similar speeds to the NBN, and also outperform ADSL connections. This means it’s something worth thinking about if you’re in an area without NBN.
The speeds across the networks will also be different, and vary depending on the type of device you use to connect, as well as your location.
There’s also a range of 5G capable devices available, mostly 5G phones, but as the 5G mobile networks are still rolling out, it might be some time before 5G mobile broadband becomes a valid option for more of us.
Remember: these speeds are fine for casual use, such as browsing, social media use or video streaming. For anything really heavy duty, consider a high-end NBN plan, such as those at the NBN 50 tier or the NBN 100 tier.
How fast is my internet?
Your internet speed is determined by your internet plan and by your internet provider, varying greatly depending on the type of technology being used (such as NBN, mobile broadband or 5G). You can find out your internet speed by using an internet speed test online, which will determine download and upload speeds from a nearby server.
If your internet speed is slower than the projected speeds indicated by your internet provider (such as your plan’s typical evening speed), then you might have a reason to switch your plan. After all, you don’t want to be paying for an internet service that isn’t as fast as you need it to be!
How do I test my internet speed?
You can test your internet speed by using the Google internet speed tester or by using a speed testing website (such as Ookla). Simply by activating one of these tools, you’ll soon have an assessment of your internet speed. In a short while, you’ll get the results of your speed test, which will either be indicative of a low speed (influenced by a range of factors) or an accurate speed that reflects your internet provider’s projected average speeds.
Learn more about your NBN speed results.
What can affect internet speed?
There are lots of things that affect your internet speed, including location, internet type, WiFi strength, faulty hardware and traffic. The best thing you can do is cut down on the things that could be impacting your internet. Some quick fixes include:
- Consider moving your modem-router to the most optimal part of the home, to cut down on WiFi lag.
- If you’re using mobile broadband, consider moving your device to a new spot to get better signal strength.
- In the home, cut down on devices using the internet at the same time, to stop bandwidth congestion.
- Be aware of high traffic periods (7pm to 11pm) to avoid unnecessary frustration.
- Consider getting a faster plan to put your mind at ease.
- If you are suspicious of a faulty modem-router, consider purchasing a new one.
Image: Sharomka / Shutterstock
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