You may have noticed that internet providers are now advertising their NBN plans' "evening speeds". Also known as "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?
NBN evening speeds explained
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.
Evening speeds indicate how fast your connection will be at the times you use it most. They are a measure of the typical speeds a provider delivers to its users nightly from 7pm - 11pm.
How much do NBN connections slow down at night? It varies greatly from provider to provider. But as a rough guide, these are the minimum typical evening speeds you might experience on your NBN plan, according to the ACCC.
| Speed Tier | Maximum Speed | Evening Speed | |
| Basic | 12Mbps | 7Mbps | Go to plans |
| Standard | 25Mbps | 15Mbps | Go to plans |
| Standard Plus | 50Mbps | 30Mbps | Go to plans |
| Premium | 100Mbps | 60Mbps | Go to plans |
Pro Tip: Megabits per second (Mbps) is a measure of the speed that 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 a pretty big difference between the max speed you can expect on your connection, and the speed you might experience during peak times.
But the good news is, not all NBN connections slow down this much during the evening. In fact, some barely slow down at all. Providers are able to control the amount of congestion on their network by purchasing the right amount of NBN bandwidth for their customer base. And many do.
Which providers have the fastest NBN evening speeds?
Looking for an NBN plan with the very best evening speeds? Want to know how your NBN provider compares to the rest? We've compiled an extensive list of NBN providers and their advertised peak hour performance. Compare these below and click through to find the best deal.
NBN Provider Evening Speeds
This table shows average speeds during peak use times of 7pm to 11pm, as advertised by the NBN service providers in our database. Some speeds are based on the latest real-world tests carriers have run on their networks. Other carriers have chosen to provide a more general guideline (look for round numbers to identify these). Some providers don't offer all speed tiers.
In addition to the evening speeds advertised by carriers below, you may want to check out the results of the ACCC's broadband speed testing program. The ACCC uses volunteer households to test NBN evening speeds across six major internet providers and periodically publishes the results.
| Provider | Premium (100 Mbps) Avg. Speed | Standard Plus (50 Mbps) Avg. Speed | Standard (25 Mbps) Avg. Speed | Basic (12 Mbps) Avg. Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optus NBN | 80.0 Mbps | 40.0 Mbps | - | - |
| Telstra NBN | 85.0 Mbps | 43.0 Mbps | 20.0 Mbps | - |
| Superloop NBN | 90.0 Mbps | 44.4 Mbps | 22.2 Mbps | - |
| Exetel NBN | 77.0 Mbps | 40.0 Mbps | 20.0 Mbps | - |
| Aussie Broadband NBN | 86.0 Mbps | 43.0 Mbps | 22.0 Mbps | - |
| Belong NBN | 80.0 Mbps | 40.0 Mbps | - | - |
| Dodo NBN | 76.4 Mbps | - | - | - |
| iiNet NBN | 83.3 Mbps | 43.7 Mbps | 20.8 Mbps | 10.7 Mbps |
| Internode NBN | 78.6 Mbps | 44.4 Mbps | 18.3 Mbps | 10.8 Mbps |
| iPrimus NBN | - | 38.2 Mbps | - | - |
| Kogan Internet NBN | 83.0 Mbps | 45.0 Mbps | 23.0 Mbps | - |
| MATE NBN | 83.0 Mbps | 42.0 Mbps | - | 10.0 Mbps |
| MyRepublic NBN | 83.0 Mbps | 43.0 Mbps | - | - |
| Southern Phone NBN | 80.0 Mbps | 40.0 Mbps | - | 10.0 Mbps |
| SpinTel NBN | 80.0 Mbps | 40.0 Mbps | 21.0 Mbps | - |
| Tangerine Telecom NBN | 83.0 Mbps | 42.0 Mbps | 21.0 Mbps | - |
| TPG NBN | 78.2 Mbps | 43.7 Mbps | - | 11.1 Mbps |
| Vodafone NBN | 83.0 Mbps | 45.0 Mbps | 23.0 Mbps | - |
| Westnet NBN | 83.3 Mbps | 43.7 Mbps | 20.8 Mbps | 10.7 Mbps |
Last updated: February 5, 2020.
Need help picking your NBN speed?
The NBN comes in four different speed tiers to cater to different budgets and lifestyles. See the points below to understand the difference.
- Standard Plus Speed (NBN 50) – for medium households (2-4 people) of moderate to heavy internet users.
- Premium Speed (NBN 100) – for large households (4+) of heavy internet users or those who regularly download or upload large files.
- Standard Speed (NBN 25) – for small households (1-2 people) of moderate internet users.
- Basic Speed (NBN 12) – for pretty much no one anymore
HOT TIP: As a rule of thumb, we suggest starting with a Standard Plus (NBN 50) plan with no contract. Standard Plus plans offer some of the best bang for buck around and going with a no contract option means you’re not locked in and can switch away if you’re not entirely happy.
Recent behind the scenes changes at NBN Co mean it no longer makes sense for providers to sell NBN 12 plans. In many cases, the price for an unlimited NBN 12 plan is almost the same as an unlimited NBN 50 plan, and the NBN 50 plan will be four times faster.
NBN 25 plans can be a little cheaper in some cases, but many providers have stopped selling these.
If you're after a high speed plan, here are the fastest NBN 100 plans with unlimited data in our database, sorted by evening speed:
Here are the fastest NBN 50 plans with unlimited data in our database, sorted by evening speed:
And if you're having trouble choosing, the table below shows the most popular plans with unlimited data, no-contract and NBN 50 speeds from providers with the best evening speeds in our database:
Want more information about the NBN?
Got questions? We've got 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.
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