NBN plans: You could save up to $710 by switching

This year’s restrictions have seen Australians spending a lot more time indoors. And with as many as 70% of us working from home at the height of lockdown, the quality of our internet has been thrown into the spotlight.

But not all internet plans are created equally and there are massive opportunities to save just by shopping around. In fact, research from Mozo found that customers could be paying $710 less on their NBN plan by switching to a more competitive provider. 

“NBN is relatively new to most Australians so it can be hard to know what to expect in terms of pricing and quality,” said Mozo Director, Kirsty Lamont.

“Each provider has a different network, so their download speeds will vary depending on your location, but essentially you could be paying 48% more for a service that offers the same download speed.”

Download speed: What should you be looking for?

Considering most plans nowadays offer unlimited data, customers should be paying attention to other important factors, such as price, download speed, and the cost of a contract versus a month-to-month agreement.

The best speed pack for you will depend on your internet usage habits. For example, if you have a larger household that’s big on gaming or television streaming services, you’ll probably require the 100 mbps option.

If, however, there are only one or two people in your household, and you tend to use the internet for basic streaming, gaming, and general web browsing, a 50 mbps option should do the job.

For the budget conscious, a 12 or 24 month contract is usually better value than a month-to-month agreement. For example, a 12 month contract with the Belong starter package costs $120 less per year than the non-contract option.

At the same time, Lamont reminds Australians that advertised download speeds can vary from provider to provider, so it might be a good idea to try the service first before making any long-term commitments.

“If fast downloads are important to your family or business, it might be best to try one provider for a month and then look to move to a contract if you are happy with the speed and service,” she said.

NBN costs: Which providers are most affordable?

Australians are spoilt for choice when it comes to NBN providers. To help narrow down your search, Mozo crunched the numbers to find the most affordable options in Australia as part of our Expert Choice Awards. 

Our panel of judges calculated the minimum cost of plans from 105 NBN retailers while taking into account set up costs, monthly charges and the lowest price modem available from the provider.

Below is a selection of standouts from the Standard Plus and Standard Plus No Lock-in categories, but be sure to browse the Mozo Expert Choice Awards page for the full list of winners.