Best NBN deals to save you cash in 2021

Many Australians are working from home and will continue to do so next year, relying on fast internet more than ever. Here are the best deals.

Broadband speeds remain critical for many Australians who continue to work from home and will do so into the new year.

But new survey results from the National Broadband Network showed despite our reliance on fast internet, one in two people do not know there are different speed plans on offer or what speed they are on.

Father-of-four Brad Wallis, 47, who runs his own real estate business from his home with wife Tara, 40, says having a good connection remains critical to their livelihood.

The pair also have four children who all use their devices to stay connected but, like many Australians, Wallis says he doesn’t know what NBN speed plan they are on.

“We’ve got a standard Telstra bundle which we pay $110 per month for but previously we were relying on our mobile phones for the internet,” Wallis says.

“We previously had ADSL but we upgraded to the NBN when it became available as part of that bundle.”

Brad and Tara Wallis and their family. Brad and Tara also run a real estate business from their house and they are like many people, they don't know what NBN speed they are on. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Their broadband package includes unlimited broadband and national calls.

Telco comparison website WhistleOut’s spokesman Kenny McGilvary says there are a few key things to look for when signing up to an NBN plan.

“Most NBN plans come with unlimited data and those that don’t still include more than you’re ever likely to need,” he says.

“So when choosing an NBN plan it really comes down to price and speed.”

Up until recently NBN plans came in four speed tiers – NBN 12 (12 megabits per second), NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100.

The higher the number the faster the speed but in recent months another two speeds were introduced including NBN 250 and NBN 1000.

Data from NBN also showed a majority of Australians – 4.5 million premises – are signed up to NBN 50.

This typically allows three to four people to be online at a time including streaming high-definition video or working from home.

NBN’s spokeswoman Jane McNamara says with the increase in Australians working or studying from home and businesses transforming digitally, “network traffic increased by an average 70 per cent compared to pre-COVID levels”.

“With connectivity requirements increasing for households and businesses, many shifted to higher speed tier plans to meet their needs,” she says.

She urges customers to check their plans and research what is available to ensure they are on the right deal.

Telstra’s group executive of consumer and small business Michael Ackland says when signing up to any deal customers should look at whether a modem is thrown in because it might come at an extra cost.

“Look at whether the modem is included or not, that can be a bit tricky when you look at the headline price,” he says.

“Modems can cost about $100 or $120 to $220 but there’s cheaper options around.”

He also said to look at whether data is unlimited or capped and what the charges are if you exceed this limit.

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