• According to the Australian Government's Statement of Expectations in regards to the NBN, typically, a speed of 25Mbps or higher is rated as a good broadband speed.
  • Typically, when you belong to a household with only a couple of light internet users, then a plan with a 12Mbps speed will already prove to be sufficient.
  • The catch is that the internet speed that you may acquire may be largely dependent on the technology available in your area.

Everyone wants fast broadband speeds but it can be very difficult to know what “fast speed” is if you don’t understand common internet jargon. What is fast and what is slow? What is a good speed and what is bad? What is a megabit per second? Can you choose your speed and who will give you the best?

This article will explain broadband speeds to you. Apart from ADSL, there is also the NBN which is now largely available, as well as cable broadband. All these are considerably more cost-effective compared to mobile broadband.

What’s a good speed?

According to the Australian Government's Statement of Expectations in regards to the NBN, typically, a speed of 25Mbps or higher is rated as a good broadband speed. Nevertheless, a good internet speed greatly depends on two factors and these are the number of people who need to connect to your internet, as well as the internet activities that will be done once users are connected.

It is possible to get faster internet if you choose a broadband plan that is not ADSL. Cable broadband and NBN broadband are faster alternatives to ADSL. This is because the technology allows for a consistent speed no matter where your house is located. You can be over 4kms from your exchange and still achieve the speed you are paying for.

How to choose the right internet speed

With NBN, which is largely available in several regions in the country, there are various speed tiers that you can choose from. Typically, when you belong to a household with only a couple of light internet users, then a plan with a 12Mbps speed will already prove to be sufficient. However, if these household members are moderate internet users, then a speed of 25Mbps would be better.

Compare the best NBN 12 plans and NBN 25 plans in your area.

On the other hand, if there are around three to four moderate to heavy internet users in your household, then you should go for a plan that offers 50Mbps speeds. Households with more than four heavy internet users should already consider getting a broadband plan with 100Mbps.

Here are the most reliable NBN 50 plans and NBN 100 plans.

However, the catch is that the internet speed that you may acquire may be largely dependent on the technology available in your area. For instance, even if you want to have the fastest internet speed, but the technology in your area is only fixed wireless, then you may not be able to enjoy the speeds that FTTP or FTTN can provide.

Find the fastest NBN plans through Compare Broadband’s comparison tools or call 1300 106 571 to have your questions answered as soon as possible.