Best Fast Broadband Plans
chosen by our broadband expert
I’ve researched Fast Broadband Plans & below are the best!
Needed for home networks
Good for heavy downloading
Great for online gaming and Internet TV
1300 764 000
1
100GB
Peak
50GB
Off Peak
50GB
6
Months
$19.99per month
Bundle Cost
Per Month
$49.99
Minimum Cost
$399.89
1300 106 571
Expert’s Tip: Bundle with a mobile plan for cheap calls
2
200GB
Peak
100GB
Off Peak
100GB
24
Months
$49.95per month
Minimum Cost
$1198.80
1300 768 081
Expert’s Tip: Free modem and set up on 12 month contract
3
120GB
Peak
50GB
Off Peak
70GB
24
Months
$64.94per month
Bundle Cost
Per Month
$64.94
Minimum Cost
$1578.51
1300 137 897
Expert’s Tip: $30 included call value for home phone
4
200GB
Peak
100GB
Off Peak
100GB
6
Months
$59.99per month
Minimum Cost
$419.89
1300 106 571
Expert’s Tip: Cheap calls when bundled with a TPG mobile
5
120GB
Peak
50GB
Off Peak
70GB
1
Months
$49.99per month
Bundle Cost
Per Month
$89.94
Minimum Cost
$258.89
1300 137 897
Expert’s Tip: Free modem delivery when ordered online
About Fast Broadband Plans
Fast broadband plans are for people who do a lot online, want everything they do to load up instantaneously, and who download large files, make video calls, play online games, or watch Internet TV. The fastest forms of internet currently come from fixed line services like ADSL2+, cable, and ADSL1 broadband. Mobile Wireless broadband can be quick at times, but generally it isn’t suitable for these types of internet usage.
ADSL2+ runs at speeds of up to 24Mbps (24,000kbps), with the speed decreasing exponentially the further you are from the telephone exchange. This type of broadband is available in the majority of Australian metropolitan areas. Cable broadband runs at speeds of up to 30Mbps (30,000kbps) in most areas, and 100Mbps in rare instances, but isn’t as readily available as ADSL2+. ADSL1 runs at speeds of up to 8Mbps (8,000kbps) and is available in most regional locations, or in city areas where infrastructure problems exist.
The faster speed your broadband is, the quicker web pages will open up, videos will load up and play without delay or stoppages, and large files can be uploaded or downloaded. If you are on a 256kbps or 512kbps ADSL1 connection, you cannot expect to watch YouTube videos easily, Skype audio calls will be patchy, and video calls may not work at all.
The strange phenomenon is that ADSL2+ broadband is cheaper than its slower ADSL1 counterpart. This is because in Australia ADSL2+ is a very competitive market, so prices have been pushed down, while data levels have increased. When you sign up to a fast broadband plan make sure you allow yourself enough data for your intended usage, as once you reach the monthly quota your speed will be “shaped” or slowed down.
Check out each broadband plan’s shaping speed, as this can vary a lot between plans and providers. Shaping speeds can range from 64kbps (dial-up speed) to 4Mbps (4,000kbps). It’s much nicer being slowed down to 4Mbps after you had 18Mbps, than being slammed down to a snail-like dial-up speed.
If you are in a home or office where multiple devices like PCs, laptops, smartphones, or tablet computers all want to get online simultaneously, you need to ensure your Wi-Fi network has a very fast speed. When more than one computer is downloading large files, this can make the network very slow for everyone else. Combat this issue by getting the fastest broadband possible.