NBN technology is a bag of licorice allsorts. While everything is technically under the same banner head - licorice or NBN - what you grab out of the bag isn’t necessarily going to be the same as your mate down the road.
The first step to figuring out the best NBN plan for you is to check your NBN technology type. This will dictate what kind of plans and speeds are available to you.
NBN technology types
Our National Broadband Network is made up of seven different technology types. Two are wireless; Sky Muster Satellite and Fixed Wireless, while the other five use wired technologies including fibre, copper, and cable to get you online.
These are the seven NBN technology types available. Click or tap on the names to read our full guide on these technologies.
- Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)
- Fibre to the Building (FTTB)
- Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)
- Fibre to the Node (FTTN)
- Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC)
- Fixed Wireless
- Sky Muster Satellite
Originally the entire network was supposed to be fibre, or the equivalent of Fibre to the Premises, every household would be connected to underground fibre cables which allow for less interference and faster speeds than copper does. However, under the Abbott government, this was switched to save money and so a range of fixed-line options became available with varying maximum speeds, and satisfaction levels.
FTTP is the golden child, where the fibre goes directly to your premise and is capable of download speeds of up to 1000Mbps. FTTN, on the other hand, uses a combination of copper and fibre, and some connections may not even be able to achieve NBN 100 speeds. Fixed wireless NBN can't go much faster than 50Mbps, while Sky Muster Satellite maxes out at 25Mbps.
Which technology type you have is entirely dependent on your type of dwelling, where you live, and how you fared in the NBN lottery.
How to check your NBN technology type
An easy way to find out what NBN technology type you have (and whether NBN is available at your address, in case you're worried it might not be) is to check out the official NBN Australia site and input your address there.
NBN Rollout Map
This interactive NBN rollout map shows what technology type is being used across different parts of Australia. Zoom in for extra detail.
-
Service available
-
Build commenced
-
Other fibre provider
-
Fixed line
-
Fixed wireless
-
Satellite
Can you change NBN technology types?
For the most part, you're stuck with the NBN connection type your house is configured on. But if you're on FTTN or FTTC connection types, you can request a free upgrade to FTTP through NBN Co.
Thanks to the $3.5 billion upgrade program that is currently underway, up to 10 million premises on FTTN and FTTC connections in select areas will be upgraded to high-speed NBN by the end of 2025.
You may already be able to upgrade, in which case we recommend looking up your address on the NBN Co website. The upgrade will be delivered free of charge for any FTTN customer who orders an NBN 100 plan or better after the upgrades are live in their area. FTTC customers have to upgrade to NBN 250 or better.
Best plans for your NBN technology type
There will never be a one-size-fits-all NBN plan, which one will suit you and your budget will depend on your own unique circumstances.
Read more about choosing an NBN speed here, but in the interim, there are a few steadfast rules you should know about before picking a plan.
Know your speed tiers
Fixed-line NBN has six different speed tiers, while Fixed Wireless has four and Sky Muster has just two options.
It is important to know that regardless of your connection type your NBN speed is a shared resource - the download speeds will be used by every device, every user, and every activity connected to your internet. In basic terms, an NBN 100 plan split between four people accounts for around 25Mbps per person at once. This is enough for each person to stream Netflix in HD on 5 screens simultaneously, but this doesn’t take into account typical evening speeds or congestion on the network.
Learn more about why your NBN may be slower than expected.
| Max download speed | Max upload speed | Available on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 | 12Mbps | 1Mbps | FTTP, FTTB, FTTC, FTTN, HFC |
| NBN 25 | 25Mbps | 5Mbps | FTTP, FTTB, FTTC, FTTN, HFC |
| NBN 50 | 50Mbps | 20Mbps | FTTP, FTTB, FTTC, FTTN, HFC |
| NBN 100 | 100Mbps | 20Mbps or 40Mbps | FTTP, FTTB, FTTC, FTTN (dwellings 400m from the node or less), HFC |
| NBN 250 | 250Mbps | 25Mbps | FTTP, HFC |
| NBN 1000 | 1000Mbps | 50Mbps | FTTP, HFC |
Here are our cheapest NBN 50 plans for fixed-line connections:
|
#1
|
Kogan Internet
Silver Unlimited
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
#2
|
Tangerine Telecom
Value Plus NBN
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
#3
|
MATE
Ripper nbn 50/20
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Exetel
Extra-value nbn50
$60.99/mth
Min. cost $60.99
|
|
#5
|
Buddy Telco
Editor's Pick
Value nbn - Unlimited
$63/mth
Min. cost $63
|
|
#6
|
Moose NBN
nbn 50/20 Premium
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Superloop
Extra-value nbn50/20
$67/mth
Min. cost $67
|
|
#8
|
Dodo
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$68.90/mth
Min. cost $68.90
|
|
#9
|
Swoop
nbn® Home Everyday
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
iiNet
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
| Max download speed | Max upload speed | |
|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 | 12Mbps | 1Mbps |
| NBN 25 | 25Mbps | 5Mbps |
| NBN 75 | 75Mbps | 10Mbps |
Here are several NBN plans offered on fixed wireless:
Plans on this speed tier offer a max download speed of 12Mbps.
|
iiNet
nbn12 Liimitless
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
|
Plans on this speed tier offer a max download speed of 25Mbps.
|
#1
|
Southern Phone
nbn Fixed Wireless Basic
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Moose NBN
nbn 25/5 Value FW
$46.80/mth
Min. cost $46.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Dodo
Fixed Wireless nbn25 Plan
$53.90/mth
Min. cost $53.90
|
|
#4
|
Swoop
nbn® Wireless
$54/mth
Min. cost $54
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Dodo
Fixed Wireless nbn15 Plan
$58.90/mth
Min. cost $58.90
|
|
#6
|
iPrimus
Unlimited Fixed Wireless Standard
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
#7
|
iiNet
nbn25 Liimitless
$76.99/mth
Min. cost $76.99
|
|
#8
|
Telstra
Upfront Internet Plan Basic (Fixed Wireless)
$89/mth
Min. cost $89
Link not supplied
|
Plans on this speed tier offer a max download speed of 75Mbps.
|
#1
|
Origin Broadband
Fixed Wireless nbn® 75
$95/mth
Min. cost $95
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
Upfront Internet Plan Essential (Fixed Wireless)
$105/mth
Min. cost $105
Link not supplied
|
| Max download speeds | Max upload speeds | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 | 12Mbps | 1Mbps | |
| NBN 25 | 25Mbps | 5Mbps |
Here are a few examples of Sky Muster NBN plans:
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Standard
$39.95/mth
Min. cost $39.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#1
|
Activ8me
Sky Muster 155GB Sonic
$44.95/mth
Min. cost $44.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
IPSTAR
Sky Muster Plus Entry
$58/mth
Min. cost $58
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Skymesh
Skymesh Ultra 25 Plan
$64.95/mth
Min. cost $64.95
Link not supplied
|
NBN technology type FAQs
How do I check how fast my internet is?
To find out what internet speeds you're currently achieving, we recommend using our Internet Speed Test Tool for fast, accurate results. This will give you an idea of what you're producing now and will help you decide if you should upgrade or downgrade your speed tier.
How do I know how much data I need?
Most fixed-line NBN plans come with unlimited data but there are options to save money if you think you can live on less.
Aussie Broadband for example offers lower prices if you opt for an NBN plan with 100GB, 200GB or 500GB of included data per month as opposed to unlimited. In most cases, you can pay for a faster speed tier with less data for a similar price to an unlimited plan at the lower speed option. For smaller households, this could be a viable option.
Whether capped data is a rational option for you will depend on how you use your internet connection. Below is a simple table showing how much data you will need for different activities online. Note this is just an estimate and every household will differ, you can check your monthly usage to see if a limited data plan is the right choice for you.
| 100GB | 200GB | 500GB | Unlimited Data | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web Surfing | ||||
| Skype | ||||
| Music Streaming | ||||
| Online Gaming | ||||
| YouTube | ||||
| Streaming TV | ||||
| Downloading Movies & TV | ||||
| Downloading Video Games |
Find a better internet plan
Thousands of internet plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
Related Articles
Related Topics
NBN Speed FTTN Sky Muster FTTP Fixed Wireless FTTCPopular Topics
NBN Telstra Optus Streaming Internet Broadband 5G smart home Foxtel Mobile Broadband
Sign up for telco news, money-saving deals and more.
Internet Plans by State
- Internet Plans in ACT
- Internet Plans in NSW
- Internet Plans in NT
- Internet Plans in QLD
- Internet Plans in SA
- Internet Plans in TAS
- Internet Plans in VIC
- Internet Plans in WA
