Premium Speed NBN 100 Plans Internet with 100Mbps max download speeds

Why an NBN 100 plan?

Unless you’re a business or Fibre-to-the-Premises user, NBN 100 is the fastest and most widely available speed tier for NBN internet. While NBN 50 is typically enough for the average home, NBN 100 is best for larger households or internet users who love to regularly download or upload sizeable files.

In practical terms, NBN 100 allows for multiple simultaneous Netflix streams in the same home - even at the highest resolution, while gamers will appreciate the extra NBN 100 speed for downloading increasingly larger games and their subsequent (and also sizeable) updates.

As for upload bandwidth, that’s particularly handy for seamless cloud back-ups for WiFi-connected phones (high-resolution photos and Full HD and/or 4K videos in particular), and it’s also great for sole traders and small businesses seeking to upload small or large work files with clients or connecting with the increasing push towards cloud storage and software.

You may have also heard an NBN 100 plan referred to as “Premium” NBN plans. This is because this premium download and upload speed also comes at a monetary premium. This means you’re looking at spending around $20 to $30 extra every month on an NBN 100 plan when stacked next to the tier-below NBN 50 plan.

About NBN speeds

NBN speed starts with the NBN plan you buy. There are three main options for the core NBN technology types: NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100. Those numbers represent the maximum potential speeds you should expect to receive in megabits-per-second. So, NBN 25 has 25Mbps download bandwidth (and 5Mbps upload), NBN 50 has 50Mbps download (20Mbps upload), while NBN 100 has 100Mbps (40Mbps upload).

Some providers have been playing with maximum upload speeds of late, which means NBN Premium plans may also offer 100Mbps download with 20Mbps upload, albeit at a cheaper price than the usual 100/40Mbps plan. Additionally, there’s also an NBN 12 plan, which isn't as common now, that offers download speeds of 12Mbps and upload speeds of 1Mbps.

While these speeds represent maximum potential, there are factors that can influence how fast your NBN connection truly is. These include internal considerations, such as potential WiFi congestion issues, your internet provider’s network, and the NBN network beyond that. Around the home, your network configuration and whether you use wired (Ethernet) or wireless (WiFi), as well as how many devices are connected simultaneously, will determine overall speeds.

For provider considerations, your maximum potential speeds will be determined by not just the quality of their first-party or third-party network, but also how many users are online at the same time versus how much capacity they have purchased on the NBN network.

One of the biggest hurdles that impacts overall internet speed is often called “the busy hour”, which is when most homes tends to be online at the same time.

Much like how “peak hour” traffic in a major city tends to cover several hours rather than one, the same is true of this internet busy period. Unlike car traffic, though, the busy period happens on more than just weekdays, meaning every night between 7pm and 11pm you should expect to receive slower internet speeds. Exactly how much slower is impacted by how much network capacity a provider has purchased to service the number of users going online simultaneously.

Fastest NBN providers

As mentioned above, one of the key considerations when picking an NBN 100 provider is those that are tapped into the best speed. Thankfully, the ACCC has made things a whole lot more transparent. For starters, all providers that offer fixed-line NBN plans – Fibre-to-the-Premises, Fibre-to-the-Node, Fibre-to-the-Building, Hybrid Fibre Coaxial, and the newer Fibre-to-the-Curb – are required to advertise their typical evening speeds, which range from slightly below an NBN plan’s maximum speeds to noticeably lower. Here's how the major providers in our database compare on typical evening speed:

On top of this, the ACCC also has the broadband speed-testing program. This program collects the NBN evening speeds from volunteer households across major internet providers to determine the fastest downloads speeds during the internet busy period. Here's a selection of NBN providers that offer some of the best speeds during busy periods:

Superloop

Superloop may not yet be a household name, but that’s sure to change given how speedy it is, particularly during the busy evening period. This is all thanks to the provider’s commitment to building strong infrastructure. Superloop consistently earns a mention in our monthly best NBN plans, and a big part of this is its commitment to delivering fast speeds, which includes some of the best NBN 100 plans.

Aussie Broadband

Like Superloop, Aussie Broadband is one of the newer NBN providers, but it’s made a big name for itself by combining stellar local support with consistently high evening download speeds. The provider backs its claims of rare customer congestion during peak times by publicly showing bandwidth graphs to show off how much capacity it’s purchased compared to how much its customers are actually using. Aussie Broadband offers customisable NBN plans, which stretch beyond NBN 100 to also include NBN 150 or NBN 250 speeds (as long as you are in an area with a technology type that supports it).

Vodafone

Vodafone seeks to simplify NBN 100 plans (as well as the other speed tiers) by only offering three options, all of which have unlimited data. To continue the simplification trend, these plans all include a WiFi Hub modem with a 4G backup to keep you online even when there’s a network fault. You have to pay extra for this modem if you leave within the first 36 months, which is something you can absolutely do considering Vodafone’s NBN plans also don’t have contracts. There are also savings to be made if you bundle a Vodafone NBN plan with a Vodafone mobile phone service.

Kogan Internet

Kogan Internet is the NBN-focused internet provider under the Kogan umbrella. Much like the other Kogan brands, the focus is on offering some of the cheapest NBN plans (including some of the best NBN 100 plans) that you can get in Australia. Like Vodafone, Kogan Internet favours straightforward simplicity: three plans to choose from (separated into NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100 speeds), all of which come with unlimited data and no contract. The lack of upfront fees also keeps costs straightforward, while you can BYO modem to save more dollars.

Looking for a different speed NBN connection?

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NBN speed FAQ

Do I need different equipment if I want faster NBN speeds?

In most cases, you won't need to change your modem or router if you take up a faster speed pack for your NBN. However, better hardware may make it easier to take advantage of your improved speeds.

What's the difference between download speeds and upload speeds?

Your download speed refers to how quickly you're able to get files from the internet, while upload speeds relate to how fast you're able to send files to other places online. For example, your upload speeds will determine how long it takes send an email with a large attachment, back your photos up to Google Drive, or plonk a big document on Dropbox.

Upload speeds can also affect video calls, Voice over IP, and gaming, as these use cases all require both sending and receiving data. 

Do I need fast upload speeds?

The average Australian internet user is a lot more reliant on download speeds for the majority of their broadband usage. However, if you regularly use video chat, rely on cloud-based backup services such as Dropbox or Google Drive, or tend to send clients large files, you'll see big benefits from getting a connection with faster upload.

Why am I not getting my advertised NBN speeds?

While NBN plans are advertised with a theoretical maximum speed, your connection could be slower than what you're paying for.

If you've got a Fibre to the Node NBN connection, you may experience slower-than-advertised speeds due to your home's distance from the node. Customers within 400 metres of a node should be able to get speeds of up to 100Mbps, while customers further than 700 metres will start to see more significant speed degradation.

Congestion is another possible cause of slow-down. If you're only noticing slower speeds at certain times, it's probably because everyone else in your neighbourhood is trying to watch Game of Thrones simultaneously.

A failing modem can also impact your internet speeds. If you're not sure what speeds you're actually getting, you can run a quick and easy speed test here.