Each year, we select the best internet providers in Australia for the WhistleOut Awards, plus winners in nine additional sub-categories covering specific types of internet connections and plans. This year, Dodo cleaned up and won overall, but TPG, Activ8me, and Optus also had some wins.
In this guide, we'll run through the best internet service providers (ISPs) of each WhistleOut Award category, discuss their features, and compare them with other popular plans in our database. And, of course, we crown one telco as the best provider overall.
While the country's largest ten providers typically cover more than 80% of Australia’s active internet plans, we review the biggest spread we can during a 12-month judging period, including many smaller brands. Currently, we're tracking plans from 34 internet providers in our database.
Dodo
Dodo was the overall 2026 WhistleOut Award winner for Internet Provider of the Year, making this the second year running. In fact, it took the top spot in four smaller categories: Best Everyday NBN Provider, Best Fast NBN Provider, Best Superfast NBN Provider, and Best Fixed Wireless NBN Provider.
So, what's good about Dodo? Simple: this telco's commitment to offering great value is what finally earned it the number one place on the podium, just like last year.
But such a heavy focus on introductory offers can be a two-edged sword. These deals usually only last for the first six months, after which the price can jump quite a bit. And while Dodo does occasionally buck the trend with a full 12-month deal, most people stick with their provider longer than this. Thankfully, Dodo's standard pricing is still some of the cheapest around, so long-term costs will still be low compared to most other providers.
Here's a look at Dodo's internet plans:
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#1
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Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn25 Unlimited Plan
$43.99/mth
Min. cost $43.99
|
|
#2
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
#3
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Dodo
FTTP, HFC
Editor's Pick
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
#4
|
Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
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#5
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Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
|
#1
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Dodo
Fixed Wireless nbn25 Plan
$43.99/mth
Min. cost $43.99
|
|
#2
|
Dodo
Editor's Pick
Fixed Wireless Plus Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
Best Everyday NBN Provider
For the last few years, Dodo has sat second place behind Tangerine for this category, but the telco has finally reclaimed first place thanks to its simple, cheap NBN plans and regular special deals. This category focuses on finding the best ISP based on NBN 50 plans.
Best Fast NBN Provider
This category judged the best provider for NBN 100, which is the fastest speed tier available to households with an FTTC, FTTN or FTTB connection. On top of that, NBN 100 isn't even usually an option to FTTP or HFC households anymore, which are only offered NBN 500 instead.
But in good news for FTTC and FTTN customers, you might be able to upgrade your NBN to FTTP for free thanks to ongoing network improvements.
Best Superfast NBN Provider
The Best Superfast NBN Provider goes to the telco with the best pricing and deals for NBN 500 plans over the judging period. And Dodo consistently brought some of the best value plans in this category.
NBN 500 is only available to households with an FTTP or HFC connection. And, for the vast majority of people, there's currently no need to consider paying for anything faster.
Best Fixed Wireless NBN Provider
This was Dodo's first win in as the best internet provider for Fixed Wireless customers. And once again, it took home the prize thanks to affordable pricing and regular deals across its product range.
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Other winners
While Dodo took home the top spot as the best internet provider overall, there are some other winners of smaller categories that might be better suited to your personal needs. TPG did well in the Home Wireless space, as did Optus. And Activ8me was head of the pack for Satellite NBN plans.
TPG
TPG was the winner of two awards: Best Capped 5G Home Wireless and Best 4G Home Wireless. TPG offered its home wireless customers strong speeds at competitive prices, making it a clear winner in these categories.
TPG's intro deals tend to be restricted to new customers, so if you've been with this telco before then you might lose out on some savings in the short run. Thankfully, its sibling company (and runner-up in this category) iiNet often has identical pricing, down to the special deals, so you might be able to swing that way instead.
Here's a look at TPG's internet plans:
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TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn25 Unlimited Plan
$59.99/mth
Min. cost $59.99
Link not supplied
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TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
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TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
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TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
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TPG
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
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TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Unlimited Plan
$84.99/mth
Min. cost $84.99
Link not supplied
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TPG
5G Home Broadband Plus
$29.99/mth
Min. cost $29.99
Link not supplied
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TPG
Editor's Pick
5G Home Broadband Premium
$34.99/mth
Min. cost $34.99
Link not supplied
|
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TPG
Home Wireless Broadband
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
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Optus
Optus was our pick for Best Uncapped 5G Home Internet Provider. With enormous speeds made available through uncapped 5G plans Optus should definitely be in your consideration set if looking for the fastest 5G services.
There's a catch, however. Most 5G home internet providers will supply you with a modem to get connected (a standard modem won't work), which is only free if you stick around for a certain timeframe – usually 24 or 36 months. But where other providers let you return the modem to avoid a hardware fee, Optus won't.
So you need to stick with your Optus 5G home internet plan for at least 36 months or pay out $13 per month remaining. And the modem you end up with probably won't work with a 5G home internet plan from a different provider, either.
Here's a look at Optus' internet plans:
|
Optus
All Fixed Line nbn®
Optus Basic nbn®
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
All Fixed Line nbn®
Optus Everyday nbn®
$82/mth
Min. cost $82
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
FTTP, HFC
Optus Fast nbn®
$84/mth
Min. cost $84
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Optus Fast nbn®
$84/mth
Min. cost $84
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
FTTP, HFC
Optus Ultrafast nbn®
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
Optus Plus Everyday 5G
$54/mth
Min. cost $54
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G
$64/mth
Min. cost $64
Link not supplied
|
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Optus
Editor's Pick
Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G
$84/mth
Min. cost $84
Link not supplied
|
Activ8me
For NBN Satellite plans, Activ8me took home the Best Satellite NBN Provider award for the second year in a row, firmly breaking the stranglehold Skymesh (the runner-up) once had over this category.
One of Australia's largest owned and operated Satellite NBN providers, Activ8me is dedicated to providing good value broadband connectivity to regional and remote Australia. This internet provider is also known for having a variety of options, especially when looking at data inclusions compared to price.
Of course, more options can make it harder to choose which plan is right for you. So you might need to do a little research into your own usage and needs before you buy.
Here are Activ8me's satellite NBN plans:
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Standard
$44.95/mth
Min. cost $44.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 180GB Standard
$49.95/mth
Min. cost $49.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Sonic
$49.95/mth
Min. cost $49.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 300GB Standard
$54.95/mth
Min. cost $54.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 180GB Sonic
$54.95/mth
Min. cost $54.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster Plus Premium 25
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
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|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 300GB Sonic
$59.95/mth
Min. cost $59.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 235GB Standard
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 235GB Sonic
$69.95/mth
Min. cost $69.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Editor's Pick
Sky Muster Plus Premium 50
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 260GB Standard
$89.95/mth
Min. cost $89.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster 260GB Sonic
$94.95/mth
Min. cost $94.95
Link not supplied
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Activ8me
Sky Muster Plus Premium 100
$99/mth
Min. cost $99
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Runners-up
Just because a telco doesn't secure the top spot doesn't mean we can't appreciate the effort. The list of runners-up is a bit more diverse than the winners, largely because one telco (i.e. Dodo) didn't dominate the rankings.
Tangerine did well in the Everyday NBN and Fixed Wireless category, Kogan came second to Dodo for Best Fast and Best Superfast NBN, Skymesh retained the number two spot for Satellite NBN, and the Home Wireless space was divided up between iiNet, Vodafone, and Telstra.
Tangerine
Tangerine was the runner-up in two categories: Best Everyday NBN and Best Fixed Wireless. In both cases, low standard pricing and regular deals made this telco a competitive choice, particularly for Fixed Wireless where it offers one of the few NBN 400 plans for that technology.
That said, Tangerine also doesn't provide Typical Evening Speeds for its Fixed Wireless plans. This is allowable when providers don't have enough customers on a given plan to gather this data, but it also means you can't get a good idea of what speeds to expect before signing up to a Fixed Wireless plan. Tangerine's plans are contract-free, however, so you can always leave if you're not happy with the speeds.
Here are Tangerine's NBN plans:
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Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value NBN 25/10
$42.90/mth
Min. cost $42.90
|
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
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Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Speedy NBN 100/20
$67.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
|
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Speedy Plus NBN 100/40
$73.90/mth
Min. cost $73.90
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Ultraspeedy NBN 1000/100
$89.90/mth
Min. cost $89.90
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
Fixed Wireless Value Plus
$63.90/mth
Min. cost $63.90
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
Fixed Wireless Speedy
$67.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
Fixed Wireless Superspeedy
$79.90/mth
Min. cost $79.90
|
Kogan Internet
Kogan Internet was the runner-up in two categories: Best Fast NBN and Best Superfast NBN, losing out to Dodo in both instances. But that doesn't mean Kogan's reliably low prices and recurring deals aren't worth considering – far from it. Across the judging period, Kogan consistently had some of the best pricing for NBN 100 and NBN 500 plans, as well as good reported Typical Evening Speeds.
Here are Kogan's fixed-line NBN plans:
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Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Bronze Unlimited
$49.90/mth
Min. cost $49.90
|
|
Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
Gold Plus Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
Kogan Internet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Gold Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
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Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
nbn750 Platinum Unlimited
$84.90/mth
Min. cost $84.90
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Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
nbn1000 Diamond Unlimited
$94.90/mth
Min. cost $94.90
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Skymesh
Skymesh once dominated the Satellite NBN space, winning the top spot in this category multiple years running. But it couldn't last forever, and now this telco has been runner-up twice in a row.
Affordable pricing and regular deals played a large part in helping secure second place for Skymesh, but its three-plan offering lacks the comparably impressive variety of Activ8me.
Here are Skymesh's satellite NBN plans:
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 25 Plan
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
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Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 50 Plan
$79.95/mth
Min. cost $79.95
Link not supplied
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Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 100 Plan
$104.95/mth
Min. cost $104.95
Link not supplied
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iiNet
iiNet was the runner-up for Best 4G Home Internet Provider, taking second place behind its sibling, TPG. But the difference here is almost trivial, with both providers generally offering similar pricing and special deals, sometimes right down to the terms and conditions.
Here are iiNet's Home Wireless plans:
|
iiNet
5G Home Broadband Plus
$39.99/mth
Min. cost $39.99
Link not supplied
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|
iiNet
5G Home Broadband Premium
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
|
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iiNet
Home Wireless Broadband
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
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Vodafone
Vodafone might be one of the biggest names in Australian telco, but its success in the most recent WhistleOut awards is limited to the position of runner-up for Best Capped 5G Home Internet Provider.
Interestingly, this is the second category where TPG took the top spot ahead of one of its siblings. And, like its sibling, Vodafone's capped 5G home internet plans were consistently affordable over the 12-month judging period, thanks to a mixture of low standard pricing and special deals.
Here are Vodafone's 5G Home Internet plans:
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Vodafone
5G Home Internet Plus Plan
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
Link not supplied
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Vodafone
5G Home Internet Premium Plan
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
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|
Vodafone
5G Home Internet Basic Plan
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
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Telstra
Australia's biggest telco did manage one award mention: runner-up for Best Uncapped 5G Home Internet Provider. Unlike with mobile plans, Telstra is the only place you can get 5G home internet access via the Telstra network. So, if you want those Telstra 5G speeds, or if you're in a Telstra-only area as far as 5G is concerned, this is what you'll need.
During the judging period, Telstra only had one 5G home internet plan, which had uncapped maximum download speeds. Since then, the telco has expanded its offerings to include two slower plans with a 25Mbps limit and 50Mbps limit, respectively.
Here are Telstra's 5G Home Internet plans:
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Telstra
Basic 5G Home Internet - 1TB
$70/mth
Min. cost $70
Link not supplied
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Telstra
Essential 5G Home Internet - 1TB
$80/mth
Min. cost $80
Link not supplied
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Telstra
Premium 5G Home Internet - 1TB
$95/mth
Min. cost $95
Link not supplied
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Tips for finding a new internet provider
Now you've had an introduction to some of Australia's best internet providers, let's look at a few dos and don'ts when picking a new ISP or plan for your household:
- Do: Consider switching internet providers often
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It's easy to do, and you can save decent dollars with just a few minutes of effort a couple of times per year. This is because a lot of ISPs in Australia offer introductory discounts. They can be any length, but are usually for six months, after which they go up to an "ongoing" price.
They can also include temporary perks, like free access to a streaming service. And because standard plans don't come with contracts, you can jump ship and grab another discount as soon as yours is done. Just make sure your current plan doesn't involve you paying off a "free" modem router or some other type of hardware before you switch.
- Consider your location or NBN connection type
-
Unfortunately, not all locations are equal when it comes to internet plan availability. Some only have access to Fixed Wireless plans, others may have the coveted FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) connection. It's important to check your connection type prior to searching for a plan to make sure you don't get your heart set on a plan that isn't available at your address.
- Don't: Cancel your current service early
-
When you switch internet plan, do not cancel your current service until your new one is ready to supersede it. This will save you any downtime.If you're switching from one NBN plan to another, the hand-over should happen in the background without you even noticing it because you can only have one active NBN plan at a time. Switching internet providers often happens within a day but, in the event it doesn't (e.g. due to a weekend or public holiday), you can rest assured you'll still have internet access until your new plan kicks in.
- Don't: Settle for a contract plan
-
For the most part, NBN plans are contract-free. Very few ISPs ask you to commit to a longer contract but, in some cases, you can commit to a long contract and receive a new modem in return. If you leave before the contract is done, you have to pay a hardware fee – sometimes based on how long into your contract you are, other times it's a flat fee. You might also have the option of returning the modem in good working order to avoid the fee, but not always.
The thing is, you probably don't need a new modem or router. And, if you do, the free one offered by your prospective provider isn't necessarily good.
No-contract plans are great because many ISPs in Australia will charge a lower monthly price for the first six months. However, they will raise your monthly payments thereafter, hence our earlier point about changing ISPs every six months to save money. But be sure to keep an eye on the calendar to avoid paying extra.
- Don't: Ignore recommended speed tiers
-
Choosing the speed of an internet plan is an important consideration, but it can be hard to find the sweet spot without experimentation.
For example, if you choose a 25Mbps NBN plan, and you have six people in your house regularly using the internet, if everyone is online at once then they're only getting about 4Mbps each, which will quickly start to fray those relationships.
For most homes, we recommend you start with NBN 50, NBN 100 or NBN 500. While NBN 50 speeds are more than enough for many households, NBN 100 plans can be better value for money thanks to incentivised pricing from NBN Co.
-
If you have an HFC or FTTP connection, you'll probably be offered an NBN 500 plans, instead of NBN 100. Don't fret: if this is the case, it should be the same price as the slower alternative.
What's the deal with deals?
When searching for the best ISP for your needs, be careful to double-check the fine print around plan pricing. Many, possibly most NBN plans offer one price for the first six or so months, after which the monthly fee increases to the "standard" or "ongoing" cost. This introductory period is also usually restricted to new customers, but not always.
Some ISPs strongly encourage adding a WiFi modem for no additional cost, as long as you stick around for a prerequisite period such as 24 or 36 months. In these cases, cancelling the plan within a given time frame can incur additional fees (to pay off the WiFi modem). Alternatively, you can sometimes return the modem for a refund, but not always.
How we choose the best NBN providers
We select the best internet providers through the annual WhistleOut Awards by reviewing and ranking the biggest cross-section of providers possible. This includes the top ten service providers in each category and many smaller providers, which typically cover 80% or more of Australia’s phone and internet plans.
The WhistleOut Award categories for internet plans are judged by awarding three, two and one point/s to the providers of the three best plans in each category every month for a year (July 2025 to June 2026). When judging plans, we consider 12-month costs, features and perks, typical evening speeds, and support channels.
In terms of support, we consider the breadth of support options available to customers, coupled with feedback from customer review aggregators. Due to the scope of telcos we track, we have not personally tested support services for each provider.
The award winners are the providers with the most points at the end of the 12-month period. In case of a tie, winners are chosen based on the number of 1st positions, then 2nd positions, then 3rd positions they achieved in that category over the year. A provider can receive points for multiple plans in a category if their plans best match the award criteria.
The exception to this is the sustainability award, which is judged based on telco submissions.
For the Best Unlimited NBN Provider category, we look at NBN 50 plans. For the Best Premium NBN Provider category, we look at NBN 100. When considering the Best Fixed Wireless NBN Provider category, we judge it based on Fixed Wireless Plus plans.
The 2026 WhistleOut Awards were announced on July 31, 2026.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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