The ACCC has dropped its latest quarterly report on real-world NBN speeds and Optus has managed to hang on to the title of top-dog NBN provider after it dethroned TPG last time around.
In the new Measuring Broadband Australia report, Optus customers were found to receive 89.9% of their plan’s maximum speeds during peak hours (between 7pm and 11pm).
This puts Optus ahead of the eight other telcos featured in the report. These include Aussie Broadband, Dodo, Exetel, iiNet, iPrimus, MyRepublic, Telstra, and TPG.
Here are the full results:
| Overall | Overall excluding under performing connections |
Peak hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | 86.6% | 89.9% | 85.8% |
| Dodo | 81.7% | 87.9% | 80.0% |
| Exetel | 87.8% | 89.4% | 86.6% |
| iiNet | 85.5% | 91.7% | 84.3% |
| iPrimus | 81.7% | 87.9% | 80.0% |
| MyRepublic | 83.6% | 89.2% | 82.3% |
| Optus | 90.8% | 92.2% | 89.9% |
| Telstra | 85.8% | 91.5% | 84.4% |
| TPG | 88.3% | 90.9% | 86.6% |
The sample for the Measuring Broadband Australia report covers 1,148 NBN connections across the nine providers in question, which isn’t huge. At the same time, it’s a useful indicator of how local telcos stack up.
Best NBN 100 Providers
Here’s a look at NBN 50 plans from the providers in the ACCC report:
Of the ISPs featured on the ACCC scoreboard, Aussie Broadband and MyRepublic are your cheapest options for NBN 100 plans. In both cases, you’ll pay $89 per month for a plan with unlimited data. Aussie Broadband ranked fourth on the scoreboard in terms of peak hours speeds, while MyRepublic came in at seventh place.
It is however worth noting that both Aussie Broadband and MyRepublic’s NBN 100 plans in question are NBN 100 / 20 plans. This means upload speed is limited to 20Mbps, half of what you’d get on a typical NBN 100 plan.
TPG may no longer be the ACCC’s reigning ISP, but it’s still second in terms of peak hour speeds and the second cheapest plan here by a measure 99 cents. An unlimited data NBN 100 plan on TPG will set you back $89.99 per month on an 18-month contract, but you can pay a $99.95 set-up fee if you’d prefer a month-to-month plan.
ACCC champion Optus is the second most expensive out of this bunch, albeit by a hair: you’ll spend $100 per month to get an unlimited data Optus NBN 100 plan. You’ve got the choice of shackling yourself to a 24-month contract or paying a $200 upfront fee.
Neither Dodo or iPrimus sell NBN 100 plans.
Best NBN 50 Providers
And here’s a look at NBN 50 plans from the providers in the ACCC report:
MyRepublic is your cheapest option here for NBN 50 plans, but only by a sliver. You’ll pay $69 per month on MyRepublic, followed by $69.99 per month on TPG, or $70 per month on Dodo and Optus.
However, if you’re looking at no-contract plans, MyRepbulic is the best bet; you won’t pay any upfront fees unless you want to add a modem. TPG, Dodo, and Optus plans all attract setup fees if you’d prefer to not commit to a longer term.
While Telstra is the priciest provider in this group, it’s currently offering new customers their first month free and waiving the $99 connection charge. The plan is technically contract-free, but you’ll need to pay out the pro-rated value of the included modem ($216) if you leave within your first 24 months.
Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.