Australia’s biggest Internet provider: Who takes the top spot?

The telecommunications industry can often feel overwhelming due to its vast array of options. When discussing mobile plan providers, the well-known "big three" — Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone — dominate as they operate the only three mobile networks in Australia. However, the landscape for Internet providers in Australia is more complex.

The infrastructure shift since the NBN went live meant that ISPs no longer need to build their own networks, resulting in increased competition and more choices for consumers.

Despite this expanded choice, the market remains largely controlled by a few major providers. In this article, we will explore some of the leading Internet providers in the NBN market and what they offer in terms of plans and pricing.

So, who takes the top spot?

It shouldn't surprise anyone that Telstra have yet again snatched that top spot of being the largest Internet provider in Australia.

Telstra, which also owns Belong, currently holds the largest market share among NBN customers. Commanding just over 40% of the NBN market, Telstra is Australia's leading Internet provider.

Telstra boasts the most extensive mobile network in the country, is listed on the S&P/ASX 20 index as a publicly traded entity, and is a well-recognised name in telecommunications. 

The second-largest Internet provider is TPG Telecom. TPG is already a prominent name in Australia's home Internet plans and is the parent company to several other well-known providers, including Vodafone and iiNet.

In third place is Optus, followed by Vocus Group (which owns Dodo and iPrimus) in fourth. The remaining smaller Internet providers collectively hold the fifth largest market share. While this share exceeds that of Optus and Vocus, it is divided among numerous other NBN providers.

The largest NBN Internet providers from the September 2023 quarter, as reported in November 2023 by the ACCC’s NBN Wholesale Market Indicators Report, listed by percentage of market share:

• Telstra — 40.9% market share
• TPG Group (TPG, Vodafone, iiNet, Internode, etc.) — 21.3% market share
• Optus — 12.9% market share
• Vocus Group (Dodo, iPrimus) — 8.2% market share
• Other providers — 16.7% market share

(Note: the above numbers may not add up to 100% due to rounding).

Just a few years back, Telstra held nearly 50% of the market share, and the other major providers also enjoyed more significant shares than they do now. However, recent ACCC reports have consistently shown a decline in the customer base for these leading NBN providers.

The reduction in market share among the larger providers is primarily driven by a growing trend of Australians opting for smaller, lesser-known NBN providers. Notably, Aussie Broadband, Superloop, and Southern Phone have seen an increase in customers, as highlighted by the ACCC.

Are the biggest Internet providers in Australia owned by Australian businesses?

The NBN market is highly competitive, featuring both Australian and foreign-owned companies. Here’s a look at the ownership of the largest NBN providers:

• Telstra: Partly Australian-owned
• TPG Telecom (including TPG, Vodafone, iiNet, Internode, etc.): Partly Australian-owned
• Optus: Singaporean-owned
• Dodo & iPrimus: Australian-owned

Are Telstra NBN plans a good choice?

The best thing that you can do when it comes to choosing the right NBN plan from Telstra is to call our Compare Broadband team. With so many to choose from, it can be a difficult decision to make alone. 

We recommend taking a look at our Telstra plans page, and then giving our Aussie-based team a call to get connected.