Belong vs. Telstra: NBN plans compared

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 26 August 2021

You might not know it, but Belong is quite literally budget Telstra. Australia's largest telco runs Belong as its discount mobile and broadband brand, and in many cases, undercuts its mainline Telstra products. If you're comparing NBN plans, Belong is easily more affordable than Big T.

But if you're hoping to get the most out of your NBN plan, you may be wondering how Belong's cheaper options stack up to what you'd get on Telstra itself. We've gone over how the pair compare on key aspects like speed, contracts, customer service, extras, and more.

In this guide:

Available internet types
Typical evening speeds
Data limits
Contracts
Customer service
Extras

Belong vs. Telstra: NBN plans at a glance

All Fixed Line nbn®

NBN Starter – Unlimited

All Fixed Line nbn®

nbn® 25/8 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Includes $26 off for 6 months - $49/mth for first 6 mths, then $75/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM

$49/mth

Min. cost $49

Go to Site

$49/mth

Min. cost $49

Go to Site

All Fixed Line nbn®

Basic Internet Only Plan

All Fixed Line nbn®

nbn® 25/4 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Get 50% off any home nbn plan for 2 months. Add code PROMO at checkout. Ends 05.10.26. T&Cs apply.

$89/mth

Min. cost $44.50

Link not supplied

$89/mth

Min. cost $44.50

Link not supplied

All Fixed Line nbn®

NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited

All Fixed Line nbn®

nbn® 50/17 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $55/mth for first 6 mths, then $91/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM

$55/mth

Min. cost $55

Go to Site

$55/mth

Min. cost $55

Go to Site

Essential Internet Only Plan (Fixed Wireless)

nbn® Wireless 68/7 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Get 50% off any home nbn plan for 2 months. Add code PROMO at checkout. Ends 05.10.26. T&Cs apply.

$99/mth

Min. cost $49.50

Link not supplied

$99/mth

Min. cost $49.50

Link not supplied

FTTN, FTTB, FTTC

NBN Premium – Unlimited

FTTN, FTTB, FTTC

nbn® 100/17 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM

$59/mth

Min. cost $59

Go to Site

$59/mth

Min. cost $59

Go to Site

FTTN, FTTB, FTTC

Premium Internet Only Plan

FTTN, FTTB, FTTC

nbn® 100/17 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Get 50% off any home nbn plan for 2 months. Add code PROMO at checkout. Ends 05.10.26. T&Cs apply.

$99/mth

Min. cost $49.50

Link not supplied

$99/mth

Min. cost $49.50

Link not supplied

Premium Internet Only Plan (Fixed Wireless)

nbn® Wireless 183/14 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Get 50% off any home nbn plan for 2 months. Add code PROMO at checkout. Ends 05.10.26. T&Cs apply.

$99/mth

Min. cost $49.50

Link not supplied

$99/mth

Min. cost $49.50

Link not supplied

Belong vs. Telstra: Internet types available

Belong

Belong only sells NBN plans. It previously used to offer ADSL, but these have been discontinued. You can get Belong NBN plans on NBN 25, NBN 50, and NBN 100 speed tiers. Belong currently only offers NBN 100 plans to customers with a FTTP, HFC, or FTTC connection.

Here are Belong's NBN plans:

#1	Belong	Belong All Fixed Line nbn® NBN Starter – Unlimited All Fixed Line nbn® nbn® 25/8 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $26 off for 6 months - $49/mth for first 6 mths, then $75/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $49/mth for first 6 mths, then $75/mth Min. cost $49 Go to Site	$49/mth for first 6 mths, then $75/mth Min. cost $49	Go to Site
#2	Belong	Belong All Fixed Line nbn® NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited All Fixed Line nbn® nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $55/mth for first 6 mths, then $91/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $55/mth for first 6 mths, then $91/mth Min. cost $55 Go to Site	$55/mth for first 6 mths, then $91/mth Min. cost $55	Go to Site
#3	Belong	Belong FTTP, HFC NBN Fast – Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59 Go to Site	$59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59	Go to Site
#4	Belong	Belong FTTN, FTTB, FTTC NBN Premium – Unlimited FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59 Go to Site	$59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59	Go to Site
#5	Belong	Belong FTTP, HFC NBN Ultrafast – Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 875/80 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $35 off for 6 months - $75/mth for first 6 mths, then $110/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $75/mth for first 6 mths, then $110/mth Min. cost $75 Go to Site	$75/mth for first 6 mths, then $110/mth Min. cost $75	Go to Site

Telstra

Telstra offers NBN plans on NBN 25, NBN 50, NBN 100, NBN 250, and NBN 1000 speed tiers.

Here's Telstra's range of NBN plans:

All Fixed Line nbn®

Basic Internet Only Plan

All Fixed Line nbn®

nbn® 25/4 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Get 50% off any home nbn plan for 2 months. Add code PROMO at checkout. Ends 05.10.26. T&Cs apply.

$89/mth

Min. cost $44.50

Link not supplied

$89/mth

Min. cost $44.50

Link not supplied

If you're considering an NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan, be aware that not everyone can get these: you need an FTTP or HFC NBN connection. All FTTP customers can get both NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans. On the other hand, all HFC customers can now get NBN 250 plans but only around 60% can get NBN 1000 plans. This should rise to around 90% by the end of the year.

Telstra also has ADSL and Cable plans for those that haven't been connected to the NBN yet, and mobile broadband options. Telstra will also sell 5G home broadband, but this is currently only available on an invite-only basis.

Belong vs. Telstra: Typical evening speeds

Typical evening speeds refer to the download speeds you can expect during peak usage times on the NBN - between 7pm and 11pm.

Much in the same way that traffic on the road can slow down during peak hours, the NBN can too. And for pretty much the same reason. NBN connections tend to slow down in the evenings, when everyone in your neighbourhood is jumping online to stream, surf, download, and more. As such, a provider's evening speeds indicate how fast your connection will be at the times you use it most.

Here is how Belong and Telstra stack up against each other in terms of typical evening speeds on the NBN.

	NBN 12	NBN 25	NBN 50	NBN 100	NBN 250	NBN 1000
Belong	-	25Mbps	48Mbps	95Mbps	-	-
Telstra	-	25Mbps	50Mbps	100Mbps	250Mbps	700Mbps

For comparison, here are the 10 fastest providers on NBN 100 plans.

#1	amaysim	amaysim FTTN, FTTB, FTTC NBN100 FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 100/18 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $40/mth off for the first 6 months ($30 NBN Sale + $10 Standard Intro Offer), then $90/mth. Ends 20.10.26 $50/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth Min. cost $50 Go to Site	$50/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth Min. cost $50	Go to Site
#2	Belong	Belong FTTN, FTTB, FTTC NBN Premium – Unlimited FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59 Go to Site	$59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59	Go to Site
#3	Dodo Editor's Pick	Dodo FTTN, FTTB, FTTC Editor's Pick nbn100 Unlimited Plan FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $30/mth discount for 6 months based on the standard price $92.99/mth. Ends 08.12.26. T&Cs apply. $62.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth Min. cost $62.99 Go to Site*	$62.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth Min. cost $62.99	Go to Site
#4	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom FTTN, FTTB, FTTC Speedy NBN 100/20 FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $25/mth off for the first 6 mths, $67.90/mth for first 6 months, then $92.90/mth. $67.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth Min. cost $67.90 Go to Site	$67.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth Min. cost $67.90	Go to Site
#5	Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet FTTN, FTTB, FTTC Gold Unlimited FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 98/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $16/mth off for 12mths. $69.90/mth for first 12 months then revert back to $85.90/mth. Offer available until withdrawn. $69.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $85.90/mth Min. cost $69.90 Go to Site	$69.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $85.90/mth Min. cost $69.90	Go to Site
#6	iiNet	iiNet FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn Home Fast Liimitless FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 99/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $25/mth off for 6 mths - $69.99/mth for first 6 months, then $94.99/mth. Use code SAVE25FOR6 $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
#7	Superloop	Superloop FTTN, FTTB, FTTC Family nbn100/20 FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 95/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $21/mth off 6 months! $74/mth for 6 mths, then $95/mth + Bundle & Save $74/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $74 Go to Site	$74/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $74	Go to Site
#8	TPG	TPG FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 99/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Save $240 over 12mths! $74.99/mth for first 12 months, then $94.99/mth. Min cost $84.99 if modem returned. T&Cs apply $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
#9	MATE	MATE FTTN, FTTB, FTTC No Worries nbn 100/20 FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 97/19 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $25/mth off for first 6 mths, $75/mth for first 6 mths, then reverts to $100/mth (code MATE25) + Bundle & Save + more! $75/mth for first 6 months, then $100/mth Min. cost $75 Link not supplied	$75/mth for first 6 months, then $100/mth Min. cost $75	Link not supplied
#10	Vodafone	Vodafone FTTN, FTTB, FTTC Home Fast nbn® FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 99/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $20/mth off for 12 mths, then reverts to $99/mth + Save $10/mth when you bundle with a mobile plan with Vodafone $79/mth for first 12 mths, then $99/mth Min. cost $79 Link not supplied	$79/mth for first 12 mths, then $99/mth Min. cost $79	Link not supplied

Belong vs. Telstra: Data limits

Belong

All of Belong's NBN plans have unlimited data.

Telstra

All Telstra NBN plans also have unlimited data.

Belong vs. Telstra: Contracts

Belong

All of Belong's plans are available on a contract-free basis. You may have to pay $60 upfront to get a new modem, however. This is currently being waived for new customers.

Telstra

All of Telstra's NBN plans are contract-free. However, if you leave in your first 24 months, you'll need to pay a prorated modem fee. This is equivalent to $9 multiplied by the number of months left in your two-year term. If you've taken on any extras like a Telstra TV, you will also need to pay out its remaining value.

Belong vs. Telstra: Customer service

Belong

Belong online offers online customer service. If you need help, the telco will help you resolve your issue over email.

Telstra

Telstra support is available over the phone between 8am and 9pm AEDT, seven days a week. You can call 13 2000 to reach Telstra. Telstra also has web chat, and maintains an active and helpful social media presence on Facebook and Twitter.

Belong vs. Telstra: Extras

Belong

Belong NBN plans do not include any extras.

Telstra

Telstra NBN plans are packed with a few bonuses that might make them more appealing.

To start, all Telstra NBN plans come with the telco's second-generation Smart Modem with 4G backup. 4G connectivity can be called up before your NBN plan is connected and whenever there's a problem with your home internet connection. Backup connectivity is limited to maximum speeds of 25Mbps down, and 2Mbps up. Download speeds are equivalent to an NBN 25 connection - making Telstra's 4G backup the fastest around.

If you're a gamer, you can add Xbox All Access onto your Telstra NBN plan. Xbox All Access lets you pay off an Xbox Series S or Xbox Series X over a 24-month period rather than upfront, and includes Game Pass Ultimate.

Telstra is also currently offering customers a free three-month subscription to Binge.

Lastly, all Telstra customers get access to Telstra Plus, Telstra's perks program. Every dollar you spend with Telstra earns you points, which then be redeemed for gadgets or discounts on more expensive tech.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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