Home Wireless Broadband vs. Mobile Broadband: Everything you need to know

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 27 April 2022

If you've got unreliable NBN, you don't need to settle for poor service - you've got other options.

There are two main NBN alternatives worth considering: home wireless broadband and mobile broadband. Both are powered by the same 4G and 5G mobile networks that connect our smartphones to the internet, but there are major differences between the two.

Before we get into a bit more detail, here are the top-level facts you should know:

What are the differences between home wireless and mobile broadband?

Both options are powered by 4G and 5G mobile networks
Both options should work the same day you sign up
Neither option requires a technician to set up
Some 4G home wireless internet plans have speed caps
Home wireless plans tend to come with more data - in some cases, unlimited
Home wireless modems require mains power
Mobile broadband modems are battery-powered

In this guide:

4G home wireless internet
5G home wireless internet
4G mobile broadband
5G mobile broadband

4G Home Wireless Internet

Home wireless modem

4G home wireless internet is 4G-powered internet designed to replace a traditional connection, like NBN, ADSL, or Cable. Home wireless broadband plans start at around $50 per month and have download allowances of at least 200GB. When compared to mobile broadband, the trade-off is slower download speeds (in some cases) and a little less flexibility.

Home wireless broadband plans are designed to be used at home, rather than on the go. This means the modem requires a constant source of power, so you can't just use one on the train as you would with a personal hotspot. However, you can just plug your modem in at a new location (or in a different room) and get back online instantly.

Home wireless broadband modems are fuller featured than a personal hotspot, and include extras like multiple Ethernet ports, which could be helpful if you still have devices that require a physical internet connection.

4G home internet plans come in two forms. The first is plans with uncapped speeds, but limited download allowances. These tend to be powered by the Optus network, and from our testing, you should get download speeds between 20Mbps and 50Mbps, depending on coverage and congestion. Plan allowances max out at 500GB, however.

Alternatively, you can get plans with unlimited data but capped speeds. These are powered by the Vodafone network, and your downloads are limited to 20Mbps. That's a little bit slower than an NBN 25 connection, but should still be fine for a two-person household.

5G Home Wireless Internet

5G home internet plans work on the same principle as 4G home wireless internet plans, but they're faster. Speeds start at 100Mbps and only go up from there. As with 4G home internet plans, the 5G versions all also rely on modems that require mains power.

While not universal, 5G home internet plans are becoming more widely available. Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Internode, and SpinTel all have them on offer. So far, Telstra has the widest 5G network, covering over 75% of the population. Optus is up next, followed by Vodafone.

SpinTel's 5G home internet plans are powered by the Optus network, while TPG, iiNet, and Internode are powered by Vodafone.

5G home internet plans come in two varieties: capped and uncapped. Capped plans max out at speeds of 100Mbps, and are a bit more affordable. That's the equivalent of an NBN 100 plan. Here are the capped 5G home internet plans you can get:

#1	TPG	TPG 5G Home Broadband Plus 5G Home Internet 50/16 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Special offer - Includes $30/mth off for 6 months! $29.99/mth for first 6 months, then $59.99/mth. Available until withdrawn. $29.99/mth for 6 mths, then $59.99/mth Min. cost $29.99 Link not supplied	$29.99/mth for 6 mths, then $59.99/mth Min. cost $29.99	Link not supplied
#2	iiNet	iiNet 5G Home Broadband Plus 5G Home Internet 50/16 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Special Offer - Includes $20/mth off for first 6 months, then $59.99/mth. Offer available until withdrawn. $39.99/mth for first 6 months, then $59.99/mth Min. cost $39.99 Link not supplied	$39.99/mth for first 6 months, then $59.99/mth Min. cost $39.99	Link not supplied
#3	Optus	Optus Optus Plus Everyday 5G 5G Home Internet 50/11 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $54/mth for a year, then $69/mth or as notified. New services. Incl intro offer + extra $5/mth off. Min cost $522. Ends 6/10. $54/mth for first 12 months, then $69/mth or as notified Min. cost $54 Link not supplied	$54/mth for first 12 months, then $69/mth or as notified Min. cost $54	Link not supplied
#4	Vodafone	Vodafone 5G Home Internet Plus Plan 5G Home Internet 50/16 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $15/mth off for first 12 mths + Save $10/mth when you already have a mobile phone plan with Vodafone $55/mth for 12 mths, then $70/mth Min. cost $55 Link not supplied	$55/mth for 12 mths, then $70/mth Min. cost $55	Link not supplied
#5	SpinTel	SpinTel 5G Unlimited Wireless Broadband (50Mbit) 5G Home Internet 50 Mbps Unlimited Data $55/mth + $25 Upfront Min. cost $80 Link not supplied	$55/mth + $25 Upfront Min. cost $80	Link not supplied

Uncapped plans should average speeds of at least 200Mbps, but can reach over 500Mbps depending on your coverage and congestion. Here are the uncapped 5G home internet plans you can get right now:

Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G

5G Home Internet 230/20 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: $84/mth for a year, then $99/mth or as notified. New services. Incl intro offer + extra $5/mth off. Min cost $552. Ends 6/10.

$84/mth

Min. cost $84

Link not supplied

$84/mth

Min. cost $84

Link not supplied

5G Unlimited Wireless Broadband (240Mbit)

5G Home Internet 240 Mbps
Unlimited Data

$89/mth

+ $25 Upfront

Min. cost $114

Link not supplied

$89/mth

+ $25 Upfront

Min. cost $114

Link not supplied

Premium 5G Home Internet - 1TB

5G Home Internet 300/30 Mbps
1000GB Data

$95/mth

Min. cost $95

Link not supplied

$95/mth

Min. cost $95

Link not supplied

Most 5G home internet plans have unlimited data. Telstra is the one main exception, with a 1TB allowance.

Compare speeds of 5G home wireless internet vs NBN:

Note that the majority of 5G home internet providers will let you return your modem if you don't want to pay a hardware fee if you cancel your plan. The one exception to this is Optus. If you leave your Optus 5G home internet plan within your first 36 months, you'll need to pay a modem fee equivalent to $16 for each month left in your three-year term.

The only way to avoid this is if your 5G internet plan doesn't meet Optus' 50Mbps satisfaction guarantee. If you can prove that your download speeds are slower than 50Mbps, and Optus can’t help you improve these then you can return your modem in good working order, at no additional cost to you.

4G Mobile Broadband

Pocket WiFi

Mobile broadband is an internet connection similar to the one you get on your phone. It's powered by the same 4G mobile networks, and mobile broadband plans come at prices similar to what you'd pay on a phone plan, with similar data allowances.

This means that, compared to home wireless broadband plans, with mobile broadband, you're paying more money for less data.

Mobile broadband plans run at unrestricted 4G network speeds, which typically range between 50Mbps to 100Mbps, sometimes even higher. Your actual speeds will depend on which provider you're with, your coverage, and congestion.

Mobile broadband plans are more suited to working on the go. You can get a plan with a battery-powered, portable WiFi hotspot or WiFi dongle. Or you can get a SIM-only plan and use it with your own hotspot. If you don't have a hotspot, you can create one by putting the SIM in a tablet or spare smartphone.

Here are some SIM-only mobile broadband plans with at least 100GB:

#1	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick 100GB Mobile Broadband Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90 Link not supplied	$34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90	Link not supplied
#2	Vodafone	Vodafone Large Data SIM Only Plan Mobile Broadband 140GB Data Deal: Get 140GB of data for 12 months (incl. 70GB bonus data) on the Large Data SIM Only plan. Ends 21.10.26. T&Cs apply. $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#3	Belong	Belong 100GB Data SIM Only Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#4	SpinTel	SpinTel Mobile Broadband Unlimited Mobile Broadband Unlimited Data $49.95/mth + $20 Upfront Min. cost $69.95 Link not supplied	$49.95/mth + $20 Upfront Min. cost $69.95	Link not supplied
#5	Lebara Mobile	Lebara Mobile Data Plan Large Mobile Broadband 120GB Data Prepaid (90 Days) Deal: Includes 30GB bonus data for first 3 recharges on Large Data Plan until 03.11.26 $50 Link not supplied	$50	Link not supplied
#6	amaysim	amaysim 100GB Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data Prepaid (28 Days) $50 Link not supplied	$50	Link not supplied
#7	Aussie Broadband	Aussie Broadband X-Large Data Only 5G SIM Mobile Broadband 180GB Data $60/mth Min. cost $60 Link not supplied	$60/mth Min. cost $60	Link not supplied
#8	Telstra	Telstra Upfront Data Plan Medium Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $68/mth Min. cost $68 Link not supplied	$68/mth Min. cost $68	Link not supplied
#9	Yomojo	Yomojo 100GB Data Only Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $79.90/mth Min. cost $79.90 Link not supplied	$79.90/mth Min. cost $79.90	Link not supplied

And here are some SIM-only mobile broadband plans with at least 50GB:

#1	Vodafone Editor's Pick	Vodafone Editor's Pick Small Data SIM Only Plan Mobile Broadband 60GB Data Deal: Get 60GB of data for 12 months (incl. 30GB bonus data) on the Small Data SIM Only plan. Ends 21.10.26. T&Cs apply. $20/mth Min. cost $20 Link not supplied	$20/mth Min. cost $20	Link not supplied
#2	SpinTel	SpinTel Mobile Broadband 50GB Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $28/mth Min. cost $28 Link not supplied	$28/mth Min. cost $28	Link not supplied
#3	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick 100GB Mobile Broadband Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90 Link not supplied	$34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90	Link not supplied
#4	Lebara Mobile	Lebara Mobile Data Plan Medium Mobile Broadband 80GB Data Prepaid (60 Days) Deal: Includes 20GB bonus data for first 3 recharges on Medium Data Plan until 03.11.26 $37 Link not supplied	$37	Link not supplied
#5	Belong	Belong 100GB Data SIM Only Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#6	Aussie Broadband	Aussie Broadband Large Data Only 5G SIM Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $40/mth Min. cost $40 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Link not supplied
#7	Telstra	Telstra $44 Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband Go Mobile Broadband 70GB Data Prepaid (28 Days) Deal: Includes 40GB bonus data for first 3 recharges. Activate by 02.11.26 $44 Link not supplied	$44	Link not supplied
#8	amaysim	amaysim 100GB Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data Prepaid (28 Days) $50 Link not supplied	$50	Link not supplied
#9	Yomojo	Yomojo 50GB Data Only Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $54.90/mth Min. cost $54.90 Link not supplied	$54.90/mth Min. cost $54.90	Link not supplied

5G Mobile Broadband

5G mobile broadband is a faster version of 4G mobile broadband. Your options for getting it are limited, however. Telstra are Optus are your only options for 5G mobile broadband, and 5G isn't included on all plans.

Here are Telstra's 5G-ready SIM-only mobile broadband plans:

Upfront Data Plan Medium

Mobile Broadband
100GB Data

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

And here are Optus' 5G-ready SIM-only mobile broadband plans with at least a 28-day expiry:

#1	Optus	Optus $60 Optus Choice Plus Plan 100GB data Optus 5G in selected areas (exc NT) with a 5G device Deal: $39/mth and 100GB/mth for first 12 months, then 60GB/mth and $60/mth or as notified. New services. Ends 12.11.26. Terms apply. $39.00/mth Min. cost $39 Go to Site	$39.00/mth Min. cost $39	Go to Site
#2	Optus	Optus $69 Optus Promo Plan 360GB data Optus 5G in selected areas (exc NT) with a 5G device Deal: Get up to $10/mth SubHub credit to use on your favourite subscriptions for 12 months. T&Cs apply. $69.00/mth Min. cost $69 Go to Site	$69.00/mth Min. cost $69	Go to Site
#3	Optus	Optus $70 Optus Choice Plus Plan 240GB data Optus 5G in selected areas (exc NT) with a 5G device $70.00/mth Min. cost $70 Go to Site	$70.00/mth Min. cost $70	Go to Site
#4	Optus	Optus $90 Optus Choice Plus Plan 480GB data Optus 5G in selected areas (exc NT) with a 5G device SubHub: Receive up to $20/mth SubHub credit when you have an active SubHub account with subs greater than $0. T&Cs apply $90.00/mth Min. cost $90 Go to Site	$90.00/mth Min. cost $90	Go to Site

In addition to getting a plan, you'll also need a 5G portable hotspot. Telstra currently ranges the Telstra 5G Wi-Fi Pro, while Optus has the ZTE 5G Modem. These can be paid off over 24 months.

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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