Download speeds are incredibly important when it comes to any internet connection. But upload speeds are often overlooked when it comes to picking the best business NBN plan. While faster download speeds do have a noticeable impact on everyday internet goings-on, your NBN plan’s upload speed can be just as important for busy businesses looking to work seamlessly without waiting.
Sending emails with large attachments, transmitting large files to a client, or backing up critical digital business data are all at the mercy of your upload speed. The faster the upload speed, the more seamless these tasks will be.
What are the NBN speed tiers?
The table below outlines the different speed tiers available for business NBN plans.
| NBN speed tier | Max d/l speed | Reported d/l speeds | Max u/l speed | Avg u/l speeds |
| NBN 25/5 (Basic II) | 25Mbps | 22–25Mbps | 5Mbps | 4.25Mbps |
| NBN 25/10 (Basic II) | 25Mbps | 24Mbps | 10Mbps | 8.3Mbps |
| NBN 50 (Standard) | 50Mbps | 44–50Mbps | 20Mbps | 17Mbps |
| NBN 100/20 (Fast) | 100Mbps | 84–100Mbps | 20Mbps | 17Mbps |
| NBN 100/40 (Fast) | 100Mbps | 84–100Mbps | 40Mbps | 33.1Mbps |
| NBN 250 (Superfast) | 250Mbps | 200–248Mbps | 25Mbps | 21.25Mbps |
| NBN 500 (Ultrafast) | 500Mbps | 250Mbps | 50Mbps | 42.5Mbps |
| NBN 1000 (Ultrafast) | 1000Mbps | 250–600Mbps | 50Mbps | 42.5Mbps |
Note that the reported download speeds are based on what business NBN providers advertise as the average download speed expected during business hours (9am to 5pm for most providers). Because NBN providers aren’t yet required to self-report their average upload speeds, the average upload speeds in the table above are based on the average percentage for upload speeds that are reported by the relevant NBN providers that participate in the ACCC’s Measuring Broadband Australia program.
Aussie Broadband offers custom business NBN 25 and NBN 100 plans (the latter is true of other business NBN providers, too), which have max upload speeds of up to 10Mbps and 40Mbps, respectively.
What does Mbps mean?
Mbps is an abbreviation for ‘megabits per second’. It’s used as a measurement of speed for data (both download and upload speeds). The bigger the number before ‘Mbps’, the faster the speed. Larger businesses should consider NBN plans with faster download and upload speeds to keep daily operations running smoothly.
What NBN download speed does your business need?
The download speed that’s right for your business will depend on your internet speed needs and how many staff you have. If you’re a sole trader or part of a two-person operation, you may be able to get away with an entry-level NBN 25 plan. Expect download speeds of around 25Mbps.
NBN 50 plans offer more versatility, particularly if your business has more staff (two to four people) and deals with small to moderate file downloads. Bear in mind that the more people downloading at one time, the slower NBN speeds will be for everyone. The cheaper plans also tend to offer download speeds of around 50Mbps.
For a better idea, below is a daily updating list of popular business NBN 50 plans from our comparison engine:
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Exetel 
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Optus Business 
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Vodafone Business 
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Telstra Business 
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Aussie Broadband 
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NBN 100 plans are a great choice for a three-to-six-person operation, as you’re dealing with double the max download potential of an NBN 50 plan. Some of the cheaper plans in our database offer speeds around 100Mbps during business hours.
You can see some of the more popular business NBN 100 plans below:
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Aussie Broadband
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More 
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Telstra Business
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Vodafone Business
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Optus Business
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Exetel
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If your office is in a building that’s connected to the NBN via Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) or Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) technologies, your business may be eligible to sign up for an NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan. NBN 250 plans have average download speeds around twice as fast as the max download speed of NBN 100 plans, which start at 200Mbps but extend to up to 248Mbps with speedier providers.
While an NBN 250 plan is a good choice for between four and eight staff, eligible HFC/FTTP businesses can also consider an NBN 1000 plan for the fastest download speeds available. Typical download speeds start as low as 250Mbps but reach up to 600Mbps, which is great for downloading large files faster, individually or in groups. If you find a business NBN plan is too slow, you can always upgrade to a faster speed tier.
What NBN upload speed does your business need?
If you’re happy to set and forget backups and other larger-file uploads for after hours, you may be able to save money on your monthly business NBN bill. If not, you’ll likely notice the slower upload times that come with NBN 25 plans. Most plans max out at 5Mbps upload speeds, but Aussie Broadband can double that to 10Mbps.
NBN 50 and most NBN 100 plans come with a max of 20Mbps upload speed as standard these days. That’s a decent upload speed for a handful of staff sending emails with larger attachments, sharing smaller to moderately sized files, and backing up the occasional larger file during work hours.
The daily updating list below showcases NBN 50 plans from our database:
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Exetel
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Optus Business
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#3
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Vodafone Business
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#4
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Telstra Business
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#5
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Aussie Broadband
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Unlike residential NBN plans, there’s a trend toward NBN 100/40 business plans, which gives you up to double the upload speed (40Mbps max). You can see a selection of popular picks for NBN 100/40 business plans from our database below:
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Aussie Broadband
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More
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Telstra Business
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Vodafone Business
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Link not supplied
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#5
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Optus Business
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Link not supplied
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#6
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Exetel
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Link not supplied
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Despite the faster download speed, NBN 250 plans have upload speeds that reach up to 25Mbps max. These plans are best considered for the download speed component, so opt for an NBN 100/40 plan if you want a mix of good download and upload speeds.
For the fastest upload speeds, NBN 500 and NBN 1000 plans offer up to 50Mbps. These speed tiers are only available to select HFC and all FTTP offices, though, so unless you’re really itching for the extra download speed, NBN 100/40 plans offer better value (and are available to offices that don’t have HFC or FTTP).
Nathan Lawrence
Freelance Contributor
Find a better internet plan
Thousands of internet plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
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