If you've been shopping around for a new plan you may have noticed that internet providers advertise their NBN plans' "evening speeds". Also known as "NBN peak hour speeds", these are often slower than the maximum you can expect on your plan and can vary greatly from provider to provider.
So what are NBN evening speeds, what do they mean for your connection and, most importantly, which providers have the fastest?
What are NBN typical evening speeds?

NBN connections can slow down when it gets busy. You can think of it like a traffic jam on the highway. However, instead of peak hour traffic when people are headed home at the end of the day it's everyone in the neighbourhood jumping online to browse, download and stream.
An NBN plan's typical evening speed is an indication of how fast your connection will be during the busiest period of the day. This is considered to be between 7pm and 11pm at night.
Just how much do NBN connections slow down during peak hours? It varies greatly from provider to provider. But as an example, here are the ranges of typical evening speeds you might experience on your NBN plan, based on 33 providers in WhistleOut's database.
| Speed tier | Maximum speed | Typical evening speed range | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 (Basic I) | 12Mbps | 11-12Mbps | |
| NBN 25 (Basic II) | 25Mbps | 22-25Mbps | |
| NBN 50 (Standard) | 50Mbps | 48-50Mbps | |
| NBN 100 (Fast) | 100Mbps | 90-100Mbps | |
| NBN 500 (Fast II) | 500Mbps | 400-500Mbps | See NBN 500 plans |
| NBN 750 (Superfast) | 250Mbps | 500-750Mbps | |
| NBN 1000 (Ultrafast) | 1,000Mbps | 700-900Mbps | |
| NBN 2000 (Hyperfast) | 2,000Mbps | TBC | See NBN 2000 plans |
Note: Megabits per second (Mbps) is a measure of the speed at which data can be transferred over the network. The higher the Mbps, the faster your connection will be.
Looking at this table, you can see there's not much difference between the providers with the slowest and fastest reported typical evening speeds on the majority of NBN plans.
In fact, the majority of providers on the NBN 12 to NBN 500 speed tiers report typical evening speeds that are in line with the maximum possible.
It's a different story at the other end of the table. There's more variance between the slowest and fastest reported typical evening speeds on NBN 750 and NBN 1000 plans. These are some of the fastest speed tiers you can get. You can click to see plans on each speed tier for a deeper dive. NBN 2000 plans are very new, so we don't have typical evening speeds for these yet.
While it’s now very easy for providers to deliver consistently great speeds on NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans, it’s more
challenging on faster speed tiers. Achieving high typical evening speeds on these tiers relies on a
combination of factors like a provider’s physical infrastructure, network optimisation, and their connectivity to
the broader internet.
Choosing the right NBN speed tier
As we've already outlined, the NBN comes in six main speed tiers. These cater to different budgets and lifestyles.
| 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 |
Most NBN plans come with no lock-in contract which means you don't need to stress if you sign up to a plan and later find you want to change.
As a rule of thumb, we actually suggest switching plans every six months. This means you can always be on a plan with a discount and avoid paying full price.
NBN SPEED TIER CHECK
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Finding your ideal speed tier…
We couldn't find a recommendation for those selections. Please try adjusting your answers.
Most Popular Fixed Line NBN Plans
See the most popular fixed line NBN plans in WhistleOut's database.
NBN 12
|
Aussie Broadband
|
Aussie Broadband
All Fixed Line nbn®
Basic nbn - Unlimited
All Fixed Line nbn®
$77/mth
Min. cost $77
|
$77/mth
Min. cost $77
|
NBN 25
|
SpinTel
|
SpinTel
All Fixed Line nbn®
Home Starter 25/10
All Fixed Line nbn®
$41/mth
for first 6 mths, then $69.95/mth
Min. cost $41
|
$41/mth
for first 6 mths, then $69.95/mth
Min. cost $41
|
|
|
amaysim
|
amaysim
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN25
All Fixed Line nbn®
$30/mth
for first 6 months, then $70/mth
Min. cost $30
Link not supplied
|
$30/mth
for first 6 months, then $70/mth
Min. cost $30
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
|
Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Premium nbn25
All Fixed Line nbn®
$48/mth
for first 12 mths then $65.90/mth
Min. cost $48
|
$48/mth
for first 12 mths then $65.90/mth
Min. cost $48
|
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value NBN 25/10
All Fixed Line nbn®
$42.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $72.90/mth
Min. cost $42.90
|
$42.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $72.90/mth
Min. cost $42.90
|
|
|
Dodo
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn25 Unlimited Plan
All Fixed Line nbn®
$43.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $73.99/mth
Min. cost $43.99
|
$43.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $73.99/mth
Min. cost $43.99
|
|
|
Telstra
|
Telstra
All Fixed Line nbn®
Upfront Internet Plan Basic
All Fixed Line nbn®
$97/mth
Min. cost $97
Link not supplied
|
$97/mth
Min. cost $97
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Aussie Broadband
|
Aussie Broadband
All Fixed Line nbn®
Basic Plus nbn - Unlimited
All Fixed Line nbn®
$58/mth
for first 6 months, then $83/mth
Min. cost $58
|
$58/mth
for first 6 months, then $83/mth
Min. cost $58
|
|
|
Kogan Internet
|
Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Bronze Unlimited
All Fixed Line nbn®
$47.90/mth
for first 12 mths, then $70.90/mth
Min. cost $47.90
|
$47.90/mth
for first 12 mths, then $70.90/mth
Min. cost $47.90
|
|
|
TPG
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn25 Unlimited Plan
All Fixed Line nbn®
$59.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $79.99/mth
Min. cost $59.99
Link not supplied
|
$59.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $79.99/mth
Min. cost $59.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Superloop
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Everyday nbn25/10
All Fixed Line nbn®
$58/mth
for first 6 mths, then $78/mth
Min. cost $58
|
$58/mth
for first 6 mths, then $78/mth
Min. cost $58
|
NBN 50
|
Belong
|
Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
All Fixed Line nbn®
$55/mth
for first 6 mths, then $91/mth
Min. cost $55
|
$55/mth
for first 6 mths, then $91/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
|
Dodo
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
All Fixed Line nbn®
$57.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $87.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
$57.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $87.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
All Fixed Line nbn®
$64.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
$64.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
|
|
iiNet
|
iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
All Fixed Line nbn®
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
for first 6 mths, then $89.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
for first 6 mths, then $89.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Moose NBN
|
Moose NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn 50/20 Premium
All Fixed Line nbn®
$59.80/mth
for first 6 mths, then $83.80/mth
Min. cost $59.80
Link not supplied
|
$59.80/mth
for first 6 mths, then $83.80/mth
Min. cost $59.80
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
|
Flip
All Fixed Line nbn®
Unlimited Family nbn50
All Fixed Line nbn®
$68/mth
for first 6 mths then $84.90/mth
Min. cost $68
|
$68/mth
for first 6 mths then $84.90/mth
Min. cost $68
|
|
|
Superloop
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
All Fixed Line nbn®
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89/mth
Min. cost $69
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
|
TPG
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
All Fixed Line nbn®
$69.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
$69.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
More
|
More
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
$100/mth
Min. cost $100
Link not supplied
|
$100/mth
Min. cost $100
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Origin Broadband
|
Origin Broadband
All Fixed Line nbn®
Experience nbn® 50
All Fixed Line nbn®
$79/mth
for 6 mths, then $109/mth
Min. cost $79
Link not supplied
|
$79/mth
for 6 mths, then $109/mth
Min. cost $79
|
Link not supplied
|
Find your NBN Technology Type
Your address will be used to check against the nbn’s technology type database. It will not be stored by us.
NBN 100
|
Tangerine Telecom
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Speedy NBN 100/20
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$67.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
|
$67.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
|
|
|
Belong
|
Belong
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN Premium – Unlimited
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$59/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $59
|
$59/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
|
Superloop
|
Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$74/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $74
|
$74/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
|
amaysim
|
amaysim
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN100
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$50/mth
for first 6 months, then $90/mth
Min. cost $50
Link not supplied
|
$50/mth
for first 6 months, then $90/mth
Min. cost $50
|
Link not supplied
|
|
iiNet
|
iiNet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Liimitless
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
for first 6 mths, then $94.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
for first 6 mths, then $94.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Dodo
|
Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$62.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
$62.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
|
Telstra
|
Telstra
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Premium Internet Only Plan
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $99/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $99/mth
Min. cost $69
|
Link not supplied
|
|
TPG
|
TPG
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$74.99/mth
for first 12 mths, then $94.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
$74.99/mth
for first 12 mths, then $94.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Optus
|
Optus
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Optus nbn® Promo Plan
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$69/mth
for first 6 months, normally $109/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
$69/mth
for first 6 months, normally $109/mth
Min. cost $69
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
|
Flip
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Unlimited Turbo Boost nbn100
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
$69/mth
for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth
Min. cost $69
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth
Min. cost $69
|
Find your NBN Technology Type
Your address will be used to check against the nbn’s technology type database. It will not be stored by us.
NBN 500
|
amaysim
|
amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN500
FTTP, HFC
$50/mth
for first 6 months, then $90/mth
Min. cost $50
Link not supplied
|
$50/mth
for first 6 months, then $90/mth
Min. cost $50
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Dodo
|
Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn500 Unlimited Plan
FTTP, HFC
$62.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
$62.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Speedy Max NBN 500/50
FTTP, HFC
$59.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
$59.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth
Min. cost $59.90
|
|
|
Belong
|
Belong
FTTP, HFC
NBN Fast – Unlimited
FTTP, HFC
$59/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $59
|
$59/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
|
Exetel
|
Exetel
FTTP, HFC
One Plan 500/50
FTTP, HFC
$80/mth
Min. cost $80
|
$80/mth
Min. cost $80
|
|
|
SpinTel
|
SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Turbo 500/50
FTTP, HFC
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89.95/mth
Min. cost $69
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $89.95/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
|
Flip
|
Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500
FTTP, HFC
$69/mth
for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth
Min. cost $69
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
|
Superloop
|
Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Family Max nbn500/50
FTTP, HFC
$74/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $74
|
$74/mth
for first 6 mths, then $95/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
|
Telstra
|
Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Premium Internet Only Plan
FTTP, HFC
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $99/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $99/mth
Min. cost $69
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Kogan Internet
|
Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
Gold Plus Unlimited
FTTP, HFC
$69.90/mth
for first 12 mths, then $85.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
$69.90/mth
for first 12 mths, then $85.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
Find your NBN Technology Type
Your address will be used to check against the nbn’s technology type database. It will not be stored by us.
NBN 750
|
SpinTel
|
SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Turbofast 750/50
FTTP, HFC
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $94.95/mth
Min. cost $69
|
$69/mth
for first 6 mths, then $94.95/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
|
amaysim
|
amaysim
FTTP, HFC
NBN750
FTTP, HFC
$60/mth
for first 6 months, then $100/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
$60/mth
for first 6 months, then $100/mth
Min. cost $60
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Dodo
|
Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Plan
FTTP, HFC
$69.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $99.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
$69.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $99.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
|
|
|
Kogan Internet
|
Kogan Internet
FTTP, HFC
nbn750 Platinum Unlimited
FTTP, HFC
$84.90/mth
for first 12 mths, then $94.90/mth
Min. cost $84.90
|
$84.90/mth
for first 12 mths, then $94.90/mth
Min. cost $84.90
|
|
|
Superloop
|
Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Megaspeed nbn750/50
FTTP, HFC
$79/mth
for first 6 mths, then $104/mth
Min. cost $79
|
$79/mth
for first 6 mths, then $104/mth
Min. cost $79
|
|
|
Aussie Broadband
|
Aussie Broadband
FTTP, HFC
Superfast Fibre - Unlimited
FTTP, HFC
$119/mth
Min. cost $119
|
$119/mth
Min. cost $119
|
|
|
Telstra
|
Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Upfront Internet Plan Ultimate
FTTP, HFC
$89/mth
for first 6 mths, then $129/mth
Min. cost $89
Link not supplied
|
$89/mth
for first 6 mths, then $129/mth
Min. cost $89
|
Link not supplied
|
|
MATE
|
MATE
FTTP, HFC
Fair Dinkum nbn 750/50
FTTP, HFC
$100/mth
for first 6 months, then $125/mth
Min. cost $100
Link not supplied
|
$100/mth
for first 6 months, then $125/mth
Min. cost $100
|
Link not supplied
|
|
TPG
|
TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Superfast Unlimited Plan
FTTP, HFC
$74.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $104.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
$74.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $104.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
|
Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Super Speed nbn750
FTTP, HFC
$94.90/mth
$78/mth for first 4 mths then $94.90/mth
Min. cost $78
|
$94.90/mth
$78/mth for first 4 mths then $94.90/mth
Min. cost $78
|
Find your NBN Technology Type
Your address will be used to check against the nbn’s technology type database. It will not be stored by us.
NBN 1000
|
SpinTel
|
SpinTel
FTTP, HFC
Home Ultrafast 1000/100
FTTP, HFC
$76/mth
for first 6 mths, then $104.95/mth
Min. cost $76
|
$76/mth
for first 6 mths, then $104.95/mth
Min. cost $76
|
|
|
Superloop
|
Superloop
FTTP, HFC
Lightspeed nbn1000/100
FTTP, HFC
$89/mth
for first 6 mths, then $114/mth
Min. cost $89
|
$89/mth
for first 6 mths, then $114/mth
Min. cost $89
|
|
|
Belong
|
Belong
FTTP, HFC
NBN Ultrafast – Unlimited
FTTP, HFC
$75/mth
for first 6 mths, then $110/mth
Min. cost $75
|
$75/mth
for first 6 mths, then $110/mth
Min. cost $75
|
|
|
Telstra
|
Telstra
FTTP, HFC
Ultrafast Internet Only Plan
FTTP, HFC
$89/mth
for first 6 mths, then $129/mth
Min. cost $89
Link not supplied
|
$89/mth
for first 6 mths, then $129/mth
Min. cost $89
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Dodo
|
Dodo
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Plan
FTTP, HFC
$79.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $109.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
|
$79.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $109.99/mth
Min. cost $79.99
|
|
|
Tangerine Telecom
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTP, HFC
Ultraspeedy NBN 1000/100
FTTP, HFC
$89.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $114.90/mth
Min. cost $89.90
|
$89.90/mth
for first 6 mths, then $114.90/mth
Min. cost $89.90
|
|
|
Vodafone
|
Vodafone
FTTP, HFC
Home Ultrafast nbn®
FTTP, HFC
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
Link not supplied
|
$114/mth
Min. cost $114
|
Link not supplied
|
|
Flip
|
Flip
FTTP, HFC
Unlimited Ultra Speed nbn1000
FTTP, HFC
$109.90/mth
$89/mth for first 4 mths then $109.90/mth
Min. cost $89
|
$109.90/mth
$89/mth for first 4 mths then $109.90/mth
Min. cost $89
|
|
|
iiNet
|
iiNet
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Liimitless
FTTP, HFC
$84.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
for first 6 mths, then $114.99/mth
Min. cost $94.99
Link not supplied
|
$84.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
for first 6 mths, then $114.99/mth
Min. cost $94.99
|
Link not supplied
|
|
TPG
|
TPG
FTTP, HFC
nbn Home Ultrafast Unlimited Plan
FTTP, HFC
$84.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $114.99/mth
Min. cost $84.99
Link not supplied
|
$84.99/mth
for first 6 mths, then $114.99/mth
Min. cost $84.99
|
Link not supplied
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Find your NBN Technology Type
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NBN 2000
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Superloop
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Superloop
HFC
Hyperspeed nbn2000/100
HFC
$148/mth
for first 6 mths, then $168/mth
Min. cost $148
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$148/mth
for first 6 mths, then $168/mth
Min. cost $148
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Superloop
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Superloop
FTTP
Hyperspeed nbn2000/200
FTTP
$148/mth
for first 6 mths, then $168/mth
Min. cost $148
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$148/mth
for first 6 mths, then $168/mth
Min. cost $148
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Aussie Broadband
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Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Hyperfast nbn - Unlimited
FTTP
$189/mth
Min. cost $189
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$189/mth
Min. cost $189
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AGL
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AGL
HFC
Home Hyperfast nbn 2000/100
HFC
$194/mth
Min. cost $194
Link not supplied
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$194/mth
Min. cost $194
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Link not supplied
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Aussie Broadband
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Aussie Broadband
FTTP
Hyperfast Pro nbn - Unlimited
FTTP
$220/mth
Min. cost $220
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$220/mth
Min. cost $220
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Aussie Broadband
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Aussie Broadband
HFC
Hyperfast HFC - Unlimited
HFC
$189/mth
Min. cost $189
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$189/mth
Min. cost $189
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MATE
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MATE
FTTP, HFC
Scorchin' Fast nbn 2000/100
FTTP, HFC
$141/mth
for first 6 months, then $166/mth
Min. cost $141
Link not supplied
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$141/mth
for first 6 months, then $166/mth
Min. cost $141
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Link not supplied
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Want more information about the NBN?
Got questions? We have answers. Whether you want to know what the NBN is, how to connect, if you have to connect, how much it will cost, what the alternatives are, or something else entirely, check out our complete guide to the NBN.
If you're already on a plan with good evening speeds but your connection seems slow, there might be other factors slowing down your connection, such as your connection type.
If you're looking for other ways to judge speed, the ACCC releases a quarterly report covering real-world download speeds in Australia.
Typical evening speed FAQs
What is a good typical evening speed for NBN?
As mentioned above, a good evening speed depends on your speed tier. If you're on an NBN 12 through to NBN 500 plan, a good evening speed is one that's close to the maximum. On NBN 1000, anything over 750Mbps is pretty good.
Do I need fast upload speeds?
The average Australian internet user is a lot more reliant on download speeds for the majority of their broadband usage. However, if you work from home, regularly use video chat, rely on cloud-based backup services such as Dropbox or Google Drive, or tend to send clients large files, you'll see big benefits from getting a connection with faster uploads speeds.
What's the difference between download speeds and upload speeds?
Your download speed refers to how quickly you're able to get files from the internet, while upload speeds relate to how fast you're able to send files to other places online. For example, your upload speeds will determine how long it takes to send an email with a large attachment, back your photos up to Google Drive, or plonk a big document on Dropbox.
Upload speeds can also affect video calls, Voice over IP, and gaming, as these use cases all require both sending and receiving data.
Why am I not getting my advertised NBN speeds?
While NBN plans are advertised with a theoretical maximum speed, your connection could be slower than what you're paying for.
If you've got an FTTN NBN connection, you may experience slower-than-advertised speeds due to your home's distance from the node. Customers within 400 metres of a node should be able to get speeds of up to 100Mbps, while customers further than 700 metres will start to see more significant speed degradation.
Congestion is another possible cause of slowdown. If you're only noticing slower speeds at certain times, it's probably because everyone else in your neighbourhood is trying to watch the latest Netflix hit simultaneously.
It's important to get the right modem for your high speed NBN plan. A faster modem may be required to properly utilise NBN 500 speeds and up.
A failing modem can also impact your internet speeds. If you're not sure what speeds you're actually getting, you can run a quick and easy speed test here.
Alex Choros
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