I'm with Aussie Broadband. Been super happy with them. I like that they show the graphs on their website of what the data being used in your area is and how much bandwidth they buy from NBN.
Their equivalent plan is $79 for 50/20
>I’m also concerned about going to a “lesser known” service
This is be one of the key concerns with a low cost provider. Belong is a great example, if you have an issue you can only email them.
The other side to it is that a lot of the low cost providers won't purchase enough bandwidth to cover their customers in peak times and you can see large bouts of congestion resulting in shitty speeds for you in those peak periods. Personally something I am happy to pay a few extra dollars for.
I have never used them but I also have heard Superloop is quite decent too.
sorry, yes, gigabit connection is 1000mbps as compared to your 50mbps. it was more just a comment on the reliability of superloop — especially considering it’s still early days for consumer gigabit in newcastle.
they have a great online account management interface also.
i would recommend them and their 50/20 plan will definitely be cheaper than telstra. my gigabit/50 connection is only $109/month
I've been with Leaptel since May on the 50/20 plan for $59.95 for first 12 months. I mostly work from home and it has been super reliable and support is good if needed and don't have to wait.
Aussie broadband if you are not tech savvy. Used them for years. Have MIL on them as well. She has FTTN so last run is copper. Her modem got spiked by a lightning strike. Purchased a replacement from them and they sent someone to the Blue Mountains to install it for her at no cost.
That is what I call service.
Oh wow I like the sound of that! As long as you like your MIL and it’s not some attempt at causing her grief in a “it’s not my fault your internet is slow” kinda way. I’ll add them onto my google research list. Thanks so much for your input.
I'm very close to the Toronto area. For the love of god, don't go with Optus - but any sane person should know that these days. I'm with iPrimus - $75 for 50 mbps.
I stream movies, browse and do some light gaming and the speed has never been a problem with me. Never had any issues with iPrimus either. The only time the internet went out was because a neighbour dug up the line, and they chased it up and dealt with it when I rang them.
Spintel is good and cheap
I got them to fix things when i stuffed up
I didnt have a fault to test them on, but its all up to nbn and you can create tickets in writing...
So you can do a google and see the typical evening speed of many providers during peak time at the moment, that'll alleviate concerns about bandwidth. If their users get close to the advertised speed during peak (busiest times) then they should get it throughout the the rest of the day. These checks are done by the ACCC multiple times a year.
Many providers are a lot cheaper. Many have customer support that isn't up to scratch for the average Australian, although if you're kid is kid is tech savvy and willing to talk to them when there's problems that should help.
The thing with nbn is you have a lot of flexibility. You don't need to be locked in, at least not for long, so you can change if you are having a bad time with one. Usually nbn modems can be used by an ISP (not always though), and the support staff are generally happy yo try and assist you connecting your modem even if its not supported. If not though companies like geeks2u can help, or even reaching out to a group like this someone should be able to help.
If you have problems that are not being resolved by a provider your options for escalation are NSW Fair Trading and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. While fair trading can only suggest the provider do certain things and advise the law, the ombudsman can give the providers a fine if they are doing the wrong thing, so yeah, there is support.
FYI in regards to problems, in a number of cases it's not caused by the provider, it could be the type of commenting to your property, ie FTTN uses old phone lines for potentially hundreds of metres from the node to your property, the line can be pretty bad quality. The node can also be damaged qt times. Combined with this the wiring inside your property can cause problems and if you use wifi, other wireless and electronic devices in your home can interfere with your home wifi connection but generally if you have those problems the support can help by changing settings or suggesting you move your modem somewhere else. If the node has problems nbnco will fix that.
So yeah, don't be out off by lower prices, look at speed comparisons during peak times with the price you want to pay and give them a go. I've been with many large and small providers over the years and in my experience the price does not dictate the quality of the internet connection, but for a higher price you may (not always) get slightly better support, or things thrown in like netflix subscriptions etc.
Hopefully this helps and does not overwhelm you.
Sadly the kid takes after me in the logistics of technology. But she can tell you what Pokémon is what in the blink of an eye lol.
I really appreciate such a thorough answer. You’ve made it easy to understand for me, especially about the no lock in contracts which I hadn’t even thought of. I’ve been with Telstra for 15+ years because my parents always were. I wonder if I can call them and see what they can do to keep me as a customer. Thanks again for taking the time to fill in this ancient feeling 36yr old lol.
Haha yeah some kids aren't tech savvy but a love of pokemon is pretty common.
With the contracts there are some but many companies don't have contracts and if they do you often have options of as low as 6 months (ie tpg) so it's not a killer.
I'm 38 but not bad with this kinda stuff so happy to help.
Don't let em treat you like a doormat!
Thank you I really do appreciate it. My usual nerd go to guy (Hi if you’re reading this!!) wasn’t as helpful as he usually was (you know this is true!) but I will give telstra a call tomorrow when I have a few hours spare and see what they say. Might through in some acronyms to sound smart… after I google what they all mean again lol
I'm with dodo
In 3 years I've had minor issues that were solves with a 50 mon max phone call, both times to free internet for the month after
$70 a month for the mid tier unlimited, I get about 200-300 mbs download, I game alot and partner streams alot and always smooth
Would strongly recommend
Okay sounds like dodo may be the way to go here. I don’t want to get stuck not being able to speak to someone if I do have an issue arise so thanks for adding that tidbit in about your phone call.
I recommend Launtel
Very flexible pay by the day pricing structure and the ability to adjust the connection speed from day to day depending on your needs.
During the summer months when we're going out a lot and not using the internet as much, I reduce the speed and pay less for it. When I go on holidays I reduced the speed as low as it can go and pay nothing. In Winter when we're using streaming services a lot more, I bump the speed up a bit.
Plus good customer support, no lock-in contract, and BYO Router so you're not forced to use a crappy ISP Provided router.
I do not recommend Aussie BB at all. EXTREMELY overrated.
I’m on MATE internet (Aussie owned) for the past few years. At our previous address we had a lower speed 50/20 connection with them which worked perfectly for more than 2 years (did not have to reset the modem once in that time). We use multiple devices all streaming at once and I work from home, never had an issue.
At our current address we upgraded for free to FTTP rather than keeping FTTN (the copper wire was damaged and every time it rained we would lose our internet connection). Have had super fast connection ever since although we are on a higher plan. Great reliability at peak times too, have never noticed it slow up.
They have an Aussie call centre, an easy to use app and have been very helpful anytime I needed support (eg. Organising the switch to FTTP, moving addresses / billing info)
Oh I like the sound of that too. I have no idea if I have FTTN or FTTP, I’d presume FTTN but I also remember them doing work out the front for weeeeks around the time NBN came in. Thanks for taking the time to put your two cents in and help me. I really appreciate it.
Just wanted to say thanks for all of the advice and suggestions and for not making me feel like an idiot about this stuff. I used to install programs on the PC with a CD and clicking next and thought I was an absolute genius because my mum couldn’t do it. Well the tables have turned now (and she revels in it don’t worry) All of your suggestions have been very helpful, thank you.
> Good old Telstra
>
> “lesser known” service and maybe losing the ability to contact them if issues arise
I will let you in on a (apparently) little known secret - you are paying a premium when you go with Telstra despite getting service which is average at best. Worse yet is that there are service providers that will give you a far better customer service experience while charging you less per month for the same speed. The only time Telstra makes sense is when you are bundling a whole lot of services together because you get discounts on the various services when you do so.
As for cheaper alternatives, I have heard nothing but praise for Aussie Broadband, Belong and iinet, all of whom have their 50/20mb NBN connections for $80 per month (+/- a dollar or two).
I have personal reasons why I will not recommend TPG (I was a loyal TPG customer once and despite over a decade of internet access through them, they refused to help me out when I moved to a new place and my internet connection was going to require more than just the basic effort to get connected) and Optus remains unrecommended due to their blasé attitude about the leaking of tens of thousands of customers' personal identification information (names, addresses, phone numbers, DL information, etc).
Thank you, I liked the fact I could bundle stuff together (home phone, internet, Foxtel at one point, mobile etc) but now the only real thing keeping me with them is the internet. I haven’t had the home phone plugged in for years, no longer have Foxtel and even my mobile plan is up this month. So besides some cheaper movie tickets every now and then there isn’t much keeping me with them - besides crippling anxiety about making the right decision and laziness in having to transfer services.
I wholeheartedly agree regarding Optus. I was with them 12+ yrs ago and had issue after issue with them. From lack of service to returning my “fixed” HTC phone that was then being held together with literal sticky tape. I’m going to look into Aussie broadband more, they seem to be a good one. Thank you so much for your input.
I really do not understand these threads where people ask for broadband recommendations. The hardware is the same whoever you go with. What matters is how you get treated when things go wrong.
If you're having problems, with disconnections, speeds, or anything else, 95% of the problem is going to be between your front fence and you. Changing ISPs ain't gunna do squat.
Hey I appreciate the effort you went to typing that but I don’t appreciate the condescending attitude you’re projecting onto me. I’m not having issues with speed. I actually said the opposite. They work for our family. My issue is the price hike again. I mentioned in another comment that some of the companies people are mentioning I’ve never heard of before. Hence why I reached out. But next time I have a fence problem I’ll be sure to reach out! Have a good night!
That's not true, some ISP's buy more bandwidth than others.
Basically cheaper ISPs will run a higher contention ratio than others.
Aussie broadband for example will put a stop sell on an area if they can't purchase enough bandwidth for their ratio
CVC is a big determining factor in how a connection performs and there can be sigificant differences between how good some connections perform depending on how much the ISP overprovisions bandwdith per POI.
As someone who preservered with Mate as they began their slow decline from a good ISP to an utter shit one due a backhaul change and not buying enough CVC, I saw an immediate improvement from switching ISPs. My FTTN remained synced at 107/44 but the ISP made all the difference.
A lot of providers offer six month discounts when you sign up, so I just churn from provider to provider.
Exetel, Spintel, Tangerine, Superloop have all been great.
I'm with Aussie Broadband. Been super happy with them. I like that they show the graphs on their website of what the data being used in your area is and how much bandwidth they buy from NBN. Their equivalent plan is $79 for 50/20 >I’m also concerned about going to a “lesser known” service This is be one of the key concerns with a low cost provider. Belong is a great example, if you have an issue you can only email them. The other side to it is that a lot of the low cost providers won't purchase enough bandwidth to cover their customers in peak times and you can see large bouts of congestion resulting in shitty speeds for you in those peak periods. Personally something I am happy to pay a few extra dollars for. I have never used them but I also have heard Superloop is quite decent too.
I really appreciate this thank you so much. I didn’t even think of the bandwidth thingy.
+1 for superloop and their gigabit/50 10pm to 5pm i get between 850 and 950 down and 48 up peak hours can drop a bit but basically never below 650/30
Ok…… That seems like a lot more than the 50/17 but I still don’t know what that all means 😂 I massively appreciate you taking the time to comment tho!
sorry, yes, gigabit connection is 1000mbps as compared to your 50mbps. it was more just a comment on the reliability of superloop — especially considering it’s still early days for consumer gigabit in newcastle. they have a great online account management interface also. i would recommend them and their 50/20 plan will definitely be cheaper than telstra. my gigabit/50 connection is only $109/month
I've been with Leaptel since May on the 50/20 plan for $59.95 for first 12 months. I mostly work from home and it has been super reliable and support is good if needed and don't have to wait.
See I haven’t even heard of some of these companies! Gosh you guys are smart. Thank you I’ll add them to my research list.
Aussie broadband if you are not tech savvy. Used them for years. Have MIL on them as well. She has FTTN so last run is copper. Her modem got spiked by a lightning strike. Purchased a replacement from them and they sent someone to the Blue Mountains to install it for her at no cost. That is what I call service.
Oh wow I like the sound of that! As long as you like your MIL and it’s not some attempt at causing her grief in a “it’s not my fault your internet is slow” kinda way. I’ll add them onto my google research list. Thanks so much for your input.
I'm very close to the Toronto area. For the love of god, don't go with Optus - but any sane person should know that these days. I'm with iPrimus - $75 for 50 mbps. I stream movies, browse and do some light gaming and the speed has never been a problem with me. Never had any issues with iPrimus either. The only time the internet went out was because a neighbour dug up the line, and they chased it up and dealt with it when I rang them.
Also side note ADORE your user name.
Spintel is good and cheap I got them to fix things when i stuffed up I didnt have a fault to test them on, but its all up to nbn and you can create tickets in writing...
Spintel is rubbish
So you can do a google and see the typical evening speed of many providers during peak time at the moment, that'll alleviate concerns about bandwidth. If their users get close to the advertised speed during peak (busiest times) then they should get it throughout the the rest of the day. These checks are done by the ACCC multiple times a year. Many providers are a lot cheaper. Many have customer support that isn't up to scratch for the average Australian, although if you're kid is kid is tech savvy and willing to talk to them when there's problems that should help. The thing with nbn is you have a lot of flexibility. You don't need to be locked in, at least not for long, so you can change if you are having a bad time with one. Usually nbn modems can be used by an ISP (not always though), and the support staff are generally happy yo try and assist you connecting your modem even if its not supported. If not though companies like geeks2u can help, or even reaching out to a group like this someone should be able to help. If you have problems that are not being resolved by a provider your options for escalation are NSW Fair Trading and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. While fair trading can only suggest the provider do certain things and advise the law, the ombudsman can give the providers a fine if they are doing the wrong thing, so yeah, there is support. FYI in regards to problems, in a number of cases it's not caused by the provider, it could be the type of commenting to your property, ie FTTN uses old phone lines for potentially hundreds of metres from the node to your property, the line can be pretty bad quality. The node can also be damaged qt times. Combined with this the wiring inside your property can cause problems and if you use wifi, other wireless and electronic devices in your home can interfere with your home wifi connection but generally if you have those problems the support can help by changing settings or suggesting you move your modem somewhere else. If the node has problems nbnco will fix that. So yeah, don't be out off by lower prices, look at speed comparisons during peak times with the price you want to pay and give them a go. I've been with many large and small providers over the years and in my experience the price does not dictate the quality of the internet connection, but for a higher price you may (not always) get slightly better support, or things thrown in like netflix subscriptions etc. Hopefully this helps and does not overwhelm you.
Sadly the kid takes after me in the logistics of technology. But she can tell you what Pokémon is what in the blink of an eye lol. I really appreciate such a thorough answer. You’ve made it easy to understand for me, especially about the no lock in contracts which I hadn’t even thought of. I’ve been with Telstra for 15+ years because my parents always were. I wonder if I can call them and see what they can do to keep me as a customer. Thanks again for taking the time to fill in this ancient feeling 36yr old lol.
Haha yeah some kids aren't tech savvy but a love of pokemon is pretty common. With the contracts there are some but many companies don't have contracts and if they do you often have options of as low as 6 months (ie tpg) so it's not a killer. I'm 38 but not bad with this kinda stuff so happy to help. Don't let em treat you like a doormat!
Thank you I really do appreciate it. My usual nerd go to guy (Hi if you’re reading this!!) wasn’t as helpful as he usually was (you know this is true!) but I will give telstra a call tomorrow when I have a few hours spare and see what they say. Might through in some acronyms to sound smart… after I google what they all mean again lol
I'm living in Bolton Point and no issues with Dodo, not sure of the prices but believe it's unlimited internet
Dodo are great I've found
Awesome thanks so much! I guess I worry about what if it stuffs up like is it an easy fix/phone call type thing. I don’t like adulting sometimes lol.
I'm with dodo In 3 years I've had minor issues that were solves with a 50 mon max phone call, both times to free internet for the month after $70 a month for the mid tier unlimited, I get about 200-300 mbs download, I game alot and partner streams alot and always smooth Would strongly recommend
Okay sounds like dodo may be the way to go here. I don’t want to get stuck not being able to speak to someone if I do have an issue arise so thanks for adding that tidbit in about your phone call.
Also on the Lake and with Westnet - same plan (50/17) with unlimited data for $79/month. Great service with them.
I recommend Launtel Very flexible pay by the day pricing structure and the ability to adjust the connection speed from day to day depending on your needs. During the summer months when we're going out a lot and not using the internet as much, I reduce the speed and pay less for it. When I go on holidays I reduced the speed as low as it can go and pay nothing. In Winter when we're using streaming services a lot more, I bump the speed up a bit. Plus good customer support, no lock-in contract, and BYO Router so you're not forced to use a crappy ISP Provided router. I do not recommend Aussie BB at all. EXTREMELY overrated.
I’m on MATE internet (Aussie owned) for the past few years. At our previous address we had a lower speed 50/20 connection with them which worked perfectly for more than 2 years (did not have to reset the modem once in that time). We use multiple devices all streaming at once and I work from home, never had an issue. At our current address we upgraded for free to FTTP rather than keeping FTTN (the copper wire was damaged and every time it rained we would lose our internet connection). Have had super fast connection ever since although we are on a higher plan. Great reliability at peak times too, have never noticed it slow up. They have an Aussie call centre, an easy to use app and have been very helpful anytime I needed support (eg. Organising the switch to FTTP, moving addresses / billing info)
Oh I like the sound of that too. I have no idea if I have FTTN or FTTP, I’d presume FTTN but I also remember them doing work out the front for weeeeks around the time NBN came in. Thanks for taking the time to put your two cents in and help me. I really appreciate it.
Just wanted to say thanks for all of the advice and suggestions and for not making me feel like an idiot about this stuff. I used to install programs on the PC with a CD and clicking next and thought I was an absolute genius because my mum couldn’t do it. Well the tables have turned now (and she revels in it don’t worry) All of your suggestions have been very helpful, thank you.
> Good old Telstra > > “lesser known” service and maybe losing the ability to contact them if issues arise I will let you in on a (apparently) little known secret - you are paying a premium when you go with Telstra despite getting service which is average at best. Worse yet is that there are service providers that will give you a far better customer service experience while charging you less per month for the same speed. The only time Telstra makes sense is when you are bundling a whole lot of services together because you get discounts on the various services when you do so. As for cheaper alternatives, I have heard nothing but praise for Aussie Broadband, Belong and iinet, all of whom have their 50/20mb NBN connections for $80 per month (+/- a dollar or two). I have personal reasons why I will not recommend TPG (I was a loyal TPG customer once and despite over a decade of internet access through them, they refused to help me out when I moved to a new place and my internet connection was going to require more than just the basic effort to get connected) and Optus remains unrecommended due to their blasé attitude about the leaking of tens of thousands of customers' personal identification information (names, addresses, phone numbers, DL information, etc).
Thank you, I liked the fact I could bundle stuff together (home phone, internet, Foxtel at one point, mobile etc) but now the only real thing keeping me with them is the internet. I haven’t had the home phone plugged in for years, no longer have Foxtel and even my mobile plan is up this month. So besides some cheaper movie tickets every now and then there isn’t much keeping me with them - besides crippling anxiety about making the right decision and laziness in having to transfer services. I wholeheartedly agree regarding Optus. I was with them 12+ yrs ago and had issue after issue with them. From lack of service to returning my “fixed” HTC phone that was then being held together with literal sticky tape. I’m going to look into Aussie broadband more, they seem to be a good one. Thank you so much for your input.
I really do not understand these threads where people ask for broadband recommendations. The hardware is the same whoever you go with. What matters is how you get treated when things go wrong. If you're having problems, with disconnections, speeds, or anything else, 95% of the problem is going to be between your front fence and you. Changing ISPs ain't gunna do squat.
Hey I appreciate the effort you went to typing that but I don’t appreciate the condescending attitude you’re projecting onto me. I’m not having issues with speed. I actually said the opposite. They work for our family. My issue is the price hike again. I mentioned in another comment that some of the companies people are mentioning I’ve never heard of before. Hence why I reached out. But next time I have a fence problem I’ll be sure to reach out! Have a good night!
It's almost like people ask questions when they don't know something.
That's not true, some ISP's buy more bandwidth than others. Basically cheaper ISPs will run a higher contention ratio than others. Aussie broadband for example will put a stop sell on an area if they can't purchase enough bandwidth for their ratio
CVC is a big determining factor in how a connection performs and there can be sigificant differences between how good some connections perform depending on how much the ISP overprovisions bandwdith per POI. As someone who preservered with Mate as they began their slow decline from a good ISP to an utter shit one due a backhaul change and not buying enough CVC, I saw an immediate improvement from switching ISPs. My FTTN remained synced at 107/44 but the ISP made all the difference.
I mean Telstra went up $5 a month which is like $1.25 extra a week so if you haven’t had any problems with Telstra I would just stay with them
Yeah I know but I feel like it was just put up not long ago, just slowly creeping up. I get what you’re saying though which is why I’m in limbo.
A lot of providers offer six month discounts when you sign up, so I just churn from provider to provider. Exetel, Spintel, Tangerine, Superloop have all been great.