NBN network is Australia’s term for high-speed internet broadband service.
NBN is a government-sponsored project which is laying down high-speed broadband cables in Australia.
The actual internet service is provided by third-party private companies who use the cables laid down by the Australian government.
This means:
- You will need to get an NBN service from a private company.
- You will be paying bills directly to a company like Optus, Vodafone, etc.
NBN network is not mandatory in Australia but is recommended as it has faster internet speed than usual ADSL network.
ADSL is an old technology. Not all apartments have NBN connection pre-installed.
While looking for rental places, do ask for NBN clearly. If there is no NBN plugged in, the service provider company may charge $300 for installation.
Your modem from your own country may or may not work in Australia’s NBN network.
If you are coming to Australia from India, Pakistan, or other such Asian countries, you will be familiar with ADSL internet and your ADSL2+ modem will work in Australia for ADSL connections.
If you are coming to Australia from USA or Canada, your cable modem will NOT work. Australia works on either ADSL or NBN enabled modems.
Big NBN internet providers like Optus, Vodafone and Telstra do force you to buy their own modem. This is a clever way of forcing you into a contract.
I spoke to all 3 separately and all their plans are “no contract” NBN plans but you have to buy their own modem.
Note that you cannot use their modem with any other NBN internet company if you decide to move to any other provider later.
To add salt to injury, you will have to pay the full cost of the modem before you can stop using their services.
In a nutshell, even though you have no NBN contract, you will pay for the modem cost. The cost is abnormally higher (generally A$200+) than market price!
Yes, there are many small NBN service providers like Officework’s Accord who allow you to bring your own modem but they might have a 12 to 24 months contract.
I have not found any company who offers you both i.e. bring your own modem and no contract.
As per my opinion, it is still better to go with NBN contract than buying the modem from the provider. Your situation may be different and you may want to go with other plans.
My suggestion is to go for 40 to 50 Mbps plan as that’s sufficient for watching Netflix movies and YouTube videos simultaneously on two devices.
If you are a family of 3 i.e. two adult and 1 kid, 45 Mbps speed with unlimited data is good enough for your needs even if you watch videos whole day on multiple devices.
The NBN provider will try to sell you the 100 Mbps plan but you don’t really need it. In case you do, you can always upgrade your plan later.
Cost of NBN 50 Mbps Plan
The average cost of NBN 50 Mbps Plan should be around A$65.
If you are paying more, you should find a better deal. If you are paying less, you are probably not getting the full speed as promised.
I have noticed that the NBN plans from Optus, Vodafone and Telstra charge you about $70 to 75 for the same 50 Mbps plan as they include the Modem cost in monthly fees.
If you buy the NBN service from a small company, you will be allowed to buy a cheaper NBN ready modem like D-Link for around $60 and get service easily for $65. This modem can be used with any NBN company and you pay less per month for the same speed.
Is NBN Available Everywhere?
NBN is NOT available in every apartment or house at this time. You should check and ask your rental agent if NBN is available.
If not available, you will be asked to pay at-least A$300 by the NBN provider to install it in your apartment.
My suggestion is to NOT rent an apartment unless the landlord is ready to pay for the NBN installation.
How to Check if My Apartment has NBN Installed?
You can enter your address on the government NBN website and check if it already installed.
