The ACCC last week released its sixth report on real-world NBN speeds, and the results weren’t bad, with providers delivering between 80.4% and 86.7% of maximum plan speeds during peak usage hours of 7pm – 11pm. It could be worse, hey?
The report’s sample is large enough to provide peak hour speed information on nine major ISPs: Aussie Broadband, Dodo, Exetel, iiNet, iPrimus, MyRepublic, Optus, Telstra, and TPG.
TPG came out on top AGAIN, which makes this its fifth consecutive “win”. The telco’s subscribers were found to get an average of 86.7% of their plan’s maximum speeds during busy periods, putting it ahead of the eight other providers in the report.
Here are the full results:
| Overall | Overall excluding under performing connections |
Peak hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | 86.6% | 90.0% | 85.3% |
| Dodo | 82.2% | 88.1% | 80.4% |
| Exetel | 85.1% | 87.3% | 82.8% |
| iiNet | 85.3% | 90.7% | 84.2% |
| iPrimus | 82.2% | 88.1% | 80.4% |
| MyRepublic | 85.1% | 91.2% | 84.8% |
| Optus | 86.7% | 91% | 85.5% |
| Telstra | 84.2% | 91.1% | 83.1% |
| TPG | 87.6% | 91.5% | 86.7% |
It’s worth noting that the ACCC speed testing program sample size isn’t huge: it covered 1,095 NBN connections. There’s obviously some margin of error when it comes to this data, but it’s still useful to have as an indication of which providers can actually deliver a decent NBN connection.
Here’s a look at NBN 100 plans from the providers in the ACCC report:
MyRepublic is the cheapest when it comes to NBN 100 plans from the ACCC ISP shortlist. You’ll pay $89.95 per month for the first 12 months, and $94.95 per month thereafter. The plan is offered on a no-contract basis, so you can leave whenever you want. This offer is available until October 9.
Speed winner TPG is up next in terms of price, coming in at $89.99 per month on an 18-month contract. That’s a whole four cents more per month. If you’d prefer a contract-free plan, however, you will pay an extra $99.95 set-up fee.
And here’s a look at NBN 50 plans from the providers in the ACCC report:
Exetel is the cheapest option out of the NBN 50 plans here. You’ll pay $64.99 per month for unlimited data on a contract-free plan, but there is a $79 setup fee.
Note that Telstra doesn’t have an NBN 100 plan in its core range. To get NBN 100 speeds on Telstra you’ll need to sign up for an NBN 50 plan and, if your physical connection is fast enough, you can then upgrade to NBN 100 for an extra $30 per month. Dodo and iPrimus don’t sell NBN 100 plans either, and don’t have any options for upgrading. MyRepublic doesn’t currently sell an NBN 50 plan.
Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.
Leave a Reply