Gone are the days where Aussies could only hope for a decent internet connection when their modems were plugged into the phone line – the country has some truly terrific home wireless broadband options available now.
If you’re not able to get a good cabled NBN connection, find yourself on the road a lot, or otherwise just want to look the best NBN alternatives, we’re here to help, with this page comparing the best NBN fixed wireless plans as well as 4G and 5G home internet and mobile broadband options.
Noteworthy home wireless deals
We’ve hand-picked our top plan recommendations below, but there are also some excellent discounts now available on NBN fixed wireless, 4G and 5G home internet plans:
- Tangerine: save AU$15p/m for 6 months on NBN fixed wireless plans (from AU$54.90p/m)
- TPG: 4G home internet for AU$54.99p/m (first month free)
- Optus: 4G home internet for AU$59p/m (first month free)
- Optus: 5G home internet for AU$69p/m (first month free)
Best NBN fixed wireless plans
Best NBN fixed wireless plan: our pick
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If you live in a regional, rural or remote area of Australia, you may not have access to a physical fixed line NBN connection, and that’s where NBN fixed wireless comes in. Just like fixed line NBN plans, fixed wireless connections are also available on different speed tiers:
- NBN 12: 12Mbps download / 1Mbps upload
- NBN 25: 25Mbps download / 5Mbps upload
- NBN 75: 75Mbps download / 10Mbps upload
The NBN providers which offer fixed wireless plans will have different speed tiers available, and different data limits too, so weigh up your needs when comparing options and know what you’re signing up for. Here is our recommendation for the best NBN fixed wireless plan, but you can also view the comparison tool below for more options.
Best 4G home internet plans
Best 4G home internet plan: our pick
While mobile broadband connections are designed to be used on the move, 4G home internet plans give you an alternative to the NBN’s own fixed wireless plans by making use of a mobile network from Telstra, Optus or Vodafone.
The modems provided with these plans will need to stay hooked up in your house, as they’re intended to be used in the home, not while you’re on the road. 4G home internet plans offer much more in the way of data compared to mobile broadband offerings, which you can read about further below.
Best 5G home internet plans
Best 5G home internet plan: our picks
A growing number of telcos now offer 5G home wireless plans, including Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNet, Internode, Spintel and Vodafone. As is the case with 4G home internet plans, 5G home internet plans do without the NBN altogether, and make use of the major telco’s mobile towers instead. Because Telstra and Optus have wider-reaching 5G networks, these two providers tend to have the best 5G home internet plans.
Best mobile broadband plans
Mobile broadband offers people the ability to connect their devices to the internet via mobile data networks owned by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, instead of through the NBN. But unlike the 4G and 5G home internet plans we’ve outlined above, mobile broadband is designed to be portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go.
There’s a few ways you can get connected to the internet through mobile broadband, and it’s the same whether you want 4G or 5G speeds. Some plans come with portable modems, giving you access to the internet on the move, while others are designed to slot straight into your SIM-compatible device, such as an iPad with 4G capabilities.
Given that Telstra has the largest 4G and 5G networks in Australia, we’d argue that Telstra is a good choice for mobile broadband needs. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) which resell access to the Telstra network, such as Belong, are also strong choices. We’ve selected the most well-balanced plans on offer, but the comparison tool below will help you make your choice if it doesn’t suit your needs.
Best cheap mobile broadband plan: our pick
Best big-data mobile broadband plan: our pick
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