As mentioned earlier, there are several internet service providers (ISPs) available in Esperance. Far and away, though, the ones that stand out are Belong, Dodo, Uniti Wireless, Optus, Aussie Broadband, and Tangerine. Each of these providers have month-to-month plans, which means you can switch providers or change your plan the next month if your current one doesn’t seem to work for you. Take note, though, that Optus’s month-to-month plan is available only at a higher speed tier.
Also, each of these providers offer discounts and promotions in some form, such as a discount for the first six months of service, a free modem, or a very low modem setup or installation fee. So once you’ve narrowed down your choices of month-to-month plan, it’s just a matter of choosing which one you feel you can get the most value from.
If you don’t feel like switching plans or providers every few months, or else you just prefer to stick with a single provider in the long run, Uniti Wireless has a 24-month contract option. This comes at virtually no extra cost compared to the contractless version of their internet plans.
As with many other things in life, each ISP has its pros and cons. Belong, for example, is renter friendly with no set-up costs, and the option to pay in installments. However, if you need support, theirs is online only, and you can pay only through direct debit. Dodo, on the other hand, offers phone support, and you have the option to bundle your internet with electricity and gas. The downsides are, as with Belong, you can pay only through direct debit, and their network support is offshore rather than in Australia.
If you already have a modem that’s compatible with the NBN, Uniti Wireless and TPG both allow customers to bring their own modems, and both offer phone support. Uniti Wireless provides a better mesh modem and is a good choice for homeowners overall. The drawbacks include having to stay with the ISP longer if you want to get a discount, and the modem isn’t always free when you go for a month-to-month plan (unless you brought your own). With TPG, the downside is you’ll need to pay $10 to have a modem delivered, and if you’re looking for a home phone too, there’s a $20 prepayment.
Choosing a plan with well-known provider Optus means access to auxiliary products related to mobile phones and security and Optus Sport, among other things. A VoIP phone is also included. However, Optus’s plans are noticeably a bit more expensive compared to those of other providers. On top of that, as mentioned earlier, at the lower speed tier, you’ll have no choice but to sign up for a 24-month contract.
With Tangerine, not only do you get phone support, but you get a discount during your first six months, and they have VoIP phone plans available. The downside, though, is that the modem costs $149.95 if you don’t already have your own.