Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) is an NBN technology type that repurposes a combination of fibre and coaxial cables to deliver a high-speed fixed-line internet connection. Thanks to significant upgrades to the HFC network, HFC is now one of the best NBN connection types. All HFC customers can get plans as fast as NBN 2000. That's the fastest speed tier available.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about HFC NBN, including the plans, price, speeds, equipment, and everything else you need to know.
Before we start, here's a look at some of the plans you can get with a HFC connection.
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#1
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Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
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#2
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
#3
|
Moose NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn 50/20 Premium
$59.80/mth
Min. cost $59.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
|
#5
|
Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Family nbn50
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
|
|
#6
|
Swoop
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn® Home Everyday
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#8
|
Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
#9
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
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#1
|
amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN500
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Belong
FTTP, HFC
NBN Fast – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
#3
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
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#4
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Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
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#5
|
Moose NBN
FTTP, HFC
nbn 500/50 Turbo
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#7
|
SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Turbo 500/50
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#8
|
Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Premium Internet Only Plan
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
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#9
|
Optus
FTTP, HFC
Optus nbn® Promo Plus Plan
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
Gold Plus Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
#1
|
amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN750
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Turbofast 750/50
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
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#3
|
Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
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#4
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TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
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#5
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iiNet
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Liimitless
$74.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $84.99
Link not supplied
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#6
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Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Megaspeed nbn750/50
$79/mth
Min. cost $79
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#7
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Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Ultimate Internet Only Plan
$79/mth
Min. cost $79
Link not supplied
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#8
|
Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
nbn750 Platinum Unlimited
$84.90/mth
Min. cost $84.90
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#9
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Swoop
FTTP, HFC
nbn® Home Superfast
$85/mth
Min. cost $85
Link not supplied
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|
#10
|
Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Super Speed nbn750
$94.90/mth
Min. cost $78
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|
#1
|
Belong
FTTP, HFC
NBN Ultrafast – Unlimited
$75/mth
Min. cost $75
|
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#2
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SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Ultrafast 1000/100
$76/mth
Min. cost $76
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#3
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Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Plan
$79.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
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#4
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TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Unlimited Plan
$84.99/mth
Min. cost $84.99
Link not supplied
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#5
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iiNet
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Liimitless
$84.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $94.99
Link not supplied
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#6
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Swoop
FTTP, HFC
nbn® Home Ultrafast
$85/mth
Min. cost $85
Link not supplied
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#7
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Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Lightspeed nbn1000/100
$89/mth
Min. cost $89
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#8
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Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Ultrafast Internet Only Plan
$89/mth
Min. cost $89
Link not supplied
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#9
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Ultraspeedy NBN 1000/100
$89.90/mth
Min. cost $89.90
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#10
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Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
nbn1000 Diamond Unlimited
$94.90/mth
Min. cost $94.90
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|
#1
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MATE
FTTP, HFC
Scorchin' Fast nbn 2000/100
$141/mth
Min. cost $141
Link not supplied
|
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#2
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Superloop
HFC
Hyperspeed nbn2000/100
$148/mth
Min. cost $148
|
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#3
|
Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Hyperfast nbn - Unlimited
$189/mth
Min. cost $189
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#4
|
AGL
HFC
Home Hyperfast nbn 2000/100
$194/mth
Min. cost $194
Link not supplied
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How fast are HFC NBN speeds?
If you've got an HFC NBN connection, you're able to get download speeds of up to 2,000Mbps and upload speeds of up to 100Mbps. When you sign up for an NBN HFC connection, you'll have to pick from one of several speed tiers. These are as follows:
| Speed tier | Best for | Max. speeds |
|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 | Lone, low internet users | 12Mbps |
| NBN 25 | Budget pick for 1-2 people | 25Mbps |
| NBN 50 | All-rounder for small households of 2-4 people | 50Mbps |
| NBN 100 | For WFH and larger households | 100Mbps |
| NBN 250 | Faster speeds for WFH and larger households | 250Mbps |
| NBN 500 | Seamless internet experience when everyone is online | 500Mbps |
| NBN 750 | Even faster speeds for simultaneous use | 750Mbps |
| NBN 1000 | The fastest speeds you can get for less than $100 per month | 1000Mbps |
| NBN 2000 | The fastest speeds you can get right now, at a premium | 2000Mbps |
There are now nine speed tiers, and HFC customers can technically pick from all of them. But thanks to last year's NBN speed upgrades, NBN 100 has effectively been replaced by NBN 500 for those on HFC. While some providers will still sell an NBN 100 plan to HFC customers, many aren't. NBN 500 plans tend to be priced in line with NBN 100.
Similarly, the NBN 250 speed tier has largely been phased out in favour of NBN 750 plans. Some providers - like Aussie Broadband and Superloop - are still offering "Pro" NBN 250 plans with upload speeds of 100Mbps, which is faster than the 50Mbps offered by NBN 500 and NBN 750 plans.
HFC customers can also get even faster speed tiers like NBN 1000 and NBN 2000.
Each speed tier has a maximum speed, but you may not get this 100% of the time. Your actual speeds will depend on the NBN plan and provider you sign up with, and congestion during peak hours (which is what we mean by "typical evening speeds").
Your in-home equipment can also affect your internet speeds. To take advantage of an NBN 500 plan or faster, you ideally want a WiFi 6 or WiFi 7 router. Routers using older wireless technologies may not be capable of the new, improved speeds. If you want an NBN 2000 plan, you'll need a WiFi 7 router with a 2Gbps WAN port as a minimum.
It's also important to note that your NBN speed is a shared resource. If you subscribe to an NBN 50 plan, your 50Mbps is shared between every person and device in your household.
For example, if you're streaming a movie on Netflix, the internet will be slower for everyone else using your connection at the same time. Faster NBN speeds mean there's more capacity to share: you can stream all the video you want, and no one else will notice any slowdown.
Below we've ranked providers by their typical evening speeds on an NBN 500 plan.
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#1
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amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN500
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
Link not supplied
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#2
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Belong
FTTP, HFC
NBN Fast – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
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#3
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Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
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#4
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Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
#5
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Moose NBN
FTTP, HFC
nbn 500/50 Turbo
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
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#6
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Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
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#7
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SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Turbo 500/50
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
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#8
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Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Premium Internet Only Plan
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
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#9
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Optus
FTTP, HFC
Optus nbn® Promo Plus Plan
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
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#10
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Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
Gold Plus Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
What equipment do I need for an HFC NBN connection?
When you connect to the National Broadband Network through Hybrid Fibre Coaxial, you'll end up with an NBN Utility Box on the outside of your house, and an NBN Connection Box inside (pictured below). All of this equipment will be provided by the NBN for free.
The NBN Utility Box is installed by NBN Co when the network is being built in your area, while the NBN Connection Box will arrive when you're ready to get connected.
The NBN Connection Box plugs into a coaxial outlet on your wall (using a supplied coaxial cable), and essentially acts as a modem. It's the device that connects your house to the internet. If you want an NBN 2000 plan, you'll need the latest model of the HFC NBN Connection Box. This is called the Arris CM3500. Customers on the older Arris CM8200 (pictured below) will need to upgrade.
If you order an NBN 2000 plan, your provider of choice should book an appointment on your behalf, where a technician will swap out your NTD for a newer model. This should be free for HFC customers.
You'll then need to connect a wireless router to the Connection Box (using an Ethernet cable) to get all of your other devices online. Many NBN plans come with a router either by default, or as an optional add-on.
Once your router is set up, you can connect an NBN-compatible VoIP phone to it if you want to use landline services.
You'll need two spare power outlets in the room where you want to set everything up: one for the NBN Connection Box, and one for your wireless router.
How much does an HFC NBN plan cost?
How much you’ll pay for HFC NBN depends on the speed tier and provider that you go with. You can pay around $75 per month (excluding promotional discounts) for an NBN 50 plan, or as much as $190 per month for NBN 2000.
An NBN 50 plan is generally a good starting point. It’s significantly faster than any ADSL connection and has enough juice to power a household of two to three internet users. It is worth noting that NBN 500 plans can be had for a few dollars more per month, and offer ten times the speed.
If you're looking for cheap NBN plans, here are the cheapest NBN 50 plans available right now in our database:
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#1
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Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
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#2
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Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
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#3
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Moose NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn 50/20 Premium
$59.80/mth
Min. cost $59.80
Link not supplied
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#4
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Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
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#5
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Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Family nbn50
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
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#6
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Swoop
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn® Home Everyday
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
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#7
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Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
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#8
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Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
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#9
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TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
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#10
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iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
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How does HFC NBN work?
HFC is short for Hybrid Fibre Coaxial, but you probably know of it as 'cable'. Cable internet plans were previously available from Telstra and Optus for many years, and cable was also used to connect your home to Pay TV services like Foxtel.
The National Broadband Network is made up of fibre optic cables that run out across the country from major hubs and into your general area. These cables are capable of delivering fast and reliable internet.
As you can see in the image above:
- The NBN hubs (known as Points of Interconnect) connect fibre optic cable to a smaller connection point (known as a Node) near your home
- The coaxial cable then connects the Node to your house
How does HFC NBN compare to the alternatives?
If you've got HFC NBN, you shouldn't need to consider alternatives - you're on one of the best technology types possible. That being said, you do still have other options if you need them.
4G and 5G mobile broadband are easily the best NBN alternatives on the market right now. These connections use the same mobile networks that your phone does to connect you to the internet.
While 5G isn't available to everyone yet, many Aussies can already get a 5G home internet connection right now, and more will be able to as the rollout continues.
When it comes to NBN vs. 5G speed, 5G internet plans in Australia come in three speeds — capped at 50Mbps or capped at 100Mbps, or uncapped speeds.
If you choose a plan with speeds up to 25Mbps, you'll get the equivalent of an NBN 25 plan. Speeds may be slower during peak hours. These plans may not be the best value in the long term as they're quite expensive for the speeds you get. It is worth noting Vodafone's plan has a maximum speed of 20Mbps.
Here's pricing for 5G home internet plans with speeds up to 25Mbps:
If you decide to choose a plan capped at 50Mbps, this means it's the equivalent of NBN 50, however, you may experience slightly slower speeds during peak hours. This is a great option if you're either conscious of the price or you know you won't use over 50Mbps.
Here's pricing for 5G home internet plans capped at 50Mbps:
If you choose a plan capped at 100Mbps, this means it's the equivalent of an NBN 100 plan, however, you may experience slightly slower speeds during peak hours. This is a great option for households with multiple members who regularly connect to the internet at the same time.
Here's pricing for 5G home internet plans capped at 100Mbps:
|
TPG
5G Home Broadband Premium
$34.99/mth
Min. cost $34.99
Link not supplied
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|
Optus
Optus Promo Plan 5G
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
Link not supplied
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|
iiNet
5G Home Broadband Premium
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
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|
Vodafone
5G Home Internet Premium Plan
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
|
Yomojo
5G Internet 100
$84.90/mth
Min. cost $84.90
Link not supplied
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Few telcos currently offer uncapped plans. These can go as fast as network conditions allow but exact speeds will depend on your coverage and congestion. Generally, though we have found 200Mbps is a pretty safe average.
|
SpinTel
5G Unlimited Wireless Broadband (240Mbit)
$89/mth
+ $25 Upfront
Min. cost $114
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G
$89/mth
Min. cost $89
Link not supplied
|
|
Telstra
Premium 5G Home Internet - 1TB
$95/mth
Min. cost $95
Link not supplied
|
|
Yomojo
5G Internet Max
$105.90/mth
Min. cost $105.90
Link not supplied
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If you can get a 5G home internet connection, you should be able to expect speeds between 50Mbps and 400Mbps, depending on your coverage and congestion. NBN 500 plans tend to be a better deal than 5G home internet, however. In most cases, NBN 500 means faster speeds for a cheaper or similar price.
If you can't get 5G home internet but don't want NBN, you can consider 4G home internet, also known as home wireless broadband. The speeds and data allowances will be a big step down from HFC, however. Here are some 4G internet plans:
|
#1
|
Optus
Optus Plus Everyday Basic 4G
$49/mth
Min. cost $49
Link not supplied
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#2
|
SpinTel
4G Unlimited Wireless Broadband (25Mbit)
$49.95/mth
+ $20 Upfront
Min. cost $69.95
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
iiNet
Home Wireless Broadband
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
TPG
Home Wireless Broadband
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Yomojo
4G Internet 25
$59.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Vodafone
4G Home Internet Unlimited
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Kogan Internet
4G Home Internet Plan
$149.70
Link not supplied
|
HFC NBN FAQs
What is the difference between HFC and Telstra or Optus cable?
While HFC is based on Telstra's cable network, existing cable customers who get moved onto the HFC National Broadband Network will benefit from much faster upload speeds. On a top-tier plan, HFC customers can able to upload at 100Mbps, whereas pre-NBN cable speeds were as low as 2Mbps.
NBN Co is also promising more capacity, which should reduce network congestion in peak times. This will however depend on where you live, your provider and the amount of capacity they purchase.
How much data do I need for my HFC NBN plan?
Almost every NBN plan is unlimited now, so data isn't a consideration these days. Instead, picking the right speed is the most important part when choosing a new NBN plan.
Do I have to sign a contract for HFC NBN?
Almost every NBN plan is contract-free these days. Just be aware that some still have minimum terms related to hardware. For example, if you get a new modem through Optus, you'll pay a pro-rated hardware fee if you leave within your first three years.
Why were some HFC areas being converted to FTTC?
Under the Coalition Government's MTM rollout, Optus' cable network was also going to be used as a basis for the Hybrid Fibre Coaxial portion of the National Broadband Network. In fact, NBN bought the Optus HFC network for $800 million before deciding that it needed to decommission the aging equipment.
Leaked NBN documents published by Fairfax revealed internal concerns about the quality of Optus' network, describing it as "not fully fit for purpose". The documents suggested that some Optus equipment had reached the end of its life and would need replacing, and that network was congested due to over-subscription.
Instead, NBN is using FTTC (Fibre to the Curb) technology (previously referred to as FTTdp) for as many as 700,000 premises originally due to connect to the National Broadband Network using Optus' HFC.
"HFC remains a highly valued part of our MTM deployment," said former NBN Co Chief Network Engineering Officer, Peter Ryan, at the time. "However in balancing the requirements to convert Optus’ current network architecture and design to be NBN ready, and the opportunity to introduce FTTdp, makes the new technology compelling in these selected areas."
FTTC can almost be described as a hybrid of Fibre to the Premise and Fibre to the Node. Rather than taking fibre to a central node in a neighbourhood, fibre is laid directly to a property's kerb. The final connection is made with copper. Many FTTC areas will be upgraded to FTTP.
Can I change my technology type?
If you’ve got HFC then congratulations! You've got one of the very best NBN technology types available. You can already get the best speeds available, and as such, most shouldn't need to change from HFC to any other connection type.
As part of the NBN's technology choice program, you can still upgrade to FTTP if you really want to, but this will cost you a small fortune. We've seen quotes to upgrade an HFC premise start over $10,000.
HFC customers are not part of the NBN program that will see millions households be able to upgrade from FTTN and FTTC to FTTP for free.
Alex Choros
Find a better internet plan
Thousands of internet plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
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