Entry-level NBN plans are a dying breed, with more and more providers now focusing on higher priced options with unlimited data, faster speeds, and miscellaneous bells and whistles. Of course, not everyone needs a pricey NBN plan. What if you just want to get online and watch a little Netflix without paying an arm and leg for it?
Thankfully, there are still a few cheaper NBN plans around if you’re hoping to bag a bargain. Here’s a look at the kind of plans you can get for under $50 per month:
NBN Plans For Under $50 A Month
You’ve got options if you want affordable NBN, but there are some trade-offs. For the most part, a cheaper NBN plan will mean sacrificing download speed and data allowance.
Most cheaper NBN plans are limited to download speeds of 12Mbps, which is roughly equivalent to an average ADSL2+ connection. This kind of connection is still fast enough for day-to-day internet usage. Large downloads will take time, but an NBN 12 plan has enough pep to comfortably stream Netflix or Stan in HD. If you’re in a multi-person household, an NBN 12 connection could be a bottleneck – especially if you’ve got more than one person streaming video at the same time.
A cheaper plan typically means a smaller download allowance. Most plans under $50 only have 100GB or 200GB of data. This will be more than enough for everyday browsing, but could disappear quickly if you’re constantly binge-watching. For example, 100GB is enough to watch roughly 30 hours of Netflix in high definition, or 100 hours in standard definition.
There is an exception to all this, however. Tangerine has an NBN 25 plan available for $49.90 per month with unlimited data. It’s contract-free, and pretty much the best bang-for-buck option under $50. The plan does have one slight catch: you’ll only pay $49.90 per month for your first six months, after which you’ll pay $59.90. If you’re not happy with the higher price, you can always leave when the discount runs out.
If you want to avoid promotional discounts, SpinTel has an NBN 25 plan with 200GB priced at $49.95 per month. You’ll have to commit to a six-month contract, however.
If you can stretch your monthly spend by an extra $10 per month, you’ll find more options to choose from, including faster NBN 50 plans.
For example, you could get a NBN 50 plan with 200GB on SpinTel for $54.95 per month, or a unlimited data NBN 12 from Mate for $59 per month.
Tangerine and Internode both have promotional discounts if you want to bump up your inclusions but pay less than $60 per month, at least for your first six months. Tangerine has an unlimited data NBN 50 plan for $59.90 per month, and $69.90 per month thereafter, while Internode has an unlimited data NBN 50 plan for $59.99 per month $79.90 per month thereafter. Tangerine’s plan is contract-free, while Internode will require you to commit to six months and pay a $74.95 modem fee.
Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.