Not content with just offering NBN 100 and 5G mobile internet, Telstra has finally flipped the switch on both ultra-fast NBN and 5G home broadband.
The telco has announced that it is now offering eligible customers the chance to upgrade to its new Superfast (NBN 250) and Ultrafast (NBN 1000) speed add-ons, as well as opening up its existing NBN 100 plans to more customers across Australia. Telstra also confirmed that a new 5G Home Internet plan is set to launch this week, offering customers speeds of up to 300Mbps.
Telstra NBN 250 and NBN 1000
Telstra is joining rival providers such as Vodafone, Aussie Broadband, MyRepublic and Kogan in offering new extra-fast speed tiers to residential NBN customers. If you’re on an eligible NBN 100 plan, you can now add one of two new speed boosts to your Telstra service, giving your connection a potential busy period speed of 215Mbps or faster.
The new fast NBN plans are as follows:
- Superfast (NBN 250): $140 per month ($110 NBN 100 plan + $30 Superfast add-on), minimum cost $3,459 when you stay connected for 24 months
- Ultrafast (NBN 1000): $180 per month ($110 NBN 100 plan + $70 Superfast add-on), minimum cost $4,419 when you stay connected for 24 months
Telstra is citing typical evening download speeds of 215Mbps for Superfast customers, and 250Mbps for Ultrafast plans. Typical evening speeds refer to the average download speeds experienced during the busy period of between 7pm and 11pm, so both Superfast and Ultrafast add-ons offer a serious upgrade to the 100Mbps speed advertised on Telstra’s NBN 100 plans.
While plans are all available month-to-month with no lock-in contract, the included Telstra Smart Modem is only free if you stay connected to your plan for 24 months. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay up to $216 for your modem costs, depending how long you stay on your Telstra plan.
Both plans also include unlimited local, national and mobile calls, plus several special offers. Right now, new Telstra customers can score a $10 per month credit for 12 months on premium NBN 100 plans when they sign up before November 2, 2020. Telstra is throwing in a free three months of BINGE standard (to be redeemed by January 18, 2021), and 40,000 bonus Telstra Plus reward points.
Ultrafast NBN compared
If you’re interested in upgrading to lightning-fast Telstra NBN, there’s several catches to keep in mind. Besides the expense, these plans aren’t available to every home with an NBN connection; eligibility will depend on your NBN type. Superfast NBN 250 is available to customers on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connections, along with most Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) users. Ultrafast NBN 1000 is also offered to FTTP customers, but only a small amount of HFC connections.
Pricing may also be a limitation if you’re considering a faster NBN plan. You can find NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans cheaper from other providers: for example, MyRepublic offers NBN 250 from $109 per month, Kogan from $128.90, Aussie Broadband from $129, and Vodafone from $135. Telstra’s $140 per-month starting point may be too steep for many families and individuals, especially as you can save around $372 annually if you instead opt for MyRepublic’s NBN 250 plan.
Likewise, NBN 1000 plans begin at $148.90 per month with Kogan, $149 per month with Aussie Broadband, and $155 per month on Vodafone. With Telstra NBN 1000 priced at $180, you’re looking at a price difference of between $300 – $373 over 12 months.
Telstra NBN 100 and speed boost
Fortunately, Telstra is now making its existing NBN 100 plans available to more customers, as well as offering a major speed boost across its entire network. Telstra NBN 100 is once again open to customers on Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connections, as well as selected homes on Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) plans. If a customer on these connection types is unable to reach the promised 100Mbps typical evening speeds of Telstra’s NBN 100 service, the telco will provide options for switching to a more appropriate speed tier.
The following table shows a selection of published Telstra NBN plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard 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 a referral partner.
Telstra 5G home internet
Telstra has also confirmed a new 5G home internet plan will go live from 30 September, 2020. Priced at $85 per month, Telstra 5G Home Internet includes 500GB of monthly data, plus an included 5G modem and your first month free.
The plan will initially be available by invite only, presumably to customers identified by Telstra as having strong 5G network coverage. Telstra plans to expand the service to more customers over the next 12 months as its network rollout increases, and new, high-capacity mmWave technology goes live nationwide.
Telstra is citing an average typical download speed of between 50Mbps and 300Mbps for 5G home internet customers, although speeds will vary depending on your location. However, with a price considerably lower than Telstra’s new Superfast and Ultrafast NBN, 5G may be a more affordable alternative for customers unhappy with their current broadband performance.
Telstra also offers 5G coverage on its mobile broadband plans, although you’ll need a 5G-capable device such as the Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro to take advantage. 5G access is included free on Telstra’s Medium and Large mobile broadband plans, with prices beginning at $49.95 per month for both your plan and the Wi-Fi pro on a 24-month contract.
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