Interest in NBN 500 now outpaces all other speeds

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 16 January 2026

NBN 500 has become the most popular speed tier for users comparing NBN plans on WhistleOut, following the speed upgrades in September last year. Approximately 45% of users comparing NBN plans in January engaged with an NBN 500 plan.

Prior to the launch of NBN 500 plans, NBN 100 was the most popular speed tier with WhistleOut users, representing 42% of interest in August last year. While the shift in interest to NBN 500 isn't too surprising, given the new speed tier has replaced NBN 100 for customers on HFC and FTTP technology types, faster speed tiers have become less popular too.

While NBN 250 plans represented approximately 4% of interest in August last year, their successor - NBN 750 plans - have had less than 1% of user interest in January.

NBN 1000 plans had 20% of user interest prior to the speed upgrades, which dipped to 5% in November last year, and now sits at 3%. NBN 2000 plans currently have approximately 0.3% of user interest.

Here is how speed tier popularity compares before the speed upgrades (August last year), after every provider had finished rolling out speed upgrades (November last year), and in January so far:

Speed Tier Interest

Speed Tier	August	November	January
NBN 25	13%	18%	25%
NBN 50	20%	15%	20%
NBN 100	42%	9%	7%
NBN 250	4%	0%	0%
NBN 500	0%	50%	45%
NBN 750	0%	1%	0.5%
NBN 1000	20%	5%	3%
NBN 2000	0%	0.5%	0.3%

The data suggests NBN 500 is the sweet spot for many Australians comparing NBN plans. While going from NBN 100 to NBN 1000 represented a tenfold jump in speed, shoppers don't seem as interested in paying between $20 and $30 more per month when speeds are only doubling.

Compare the most popular NBN 500 plans below:

#1	amaysim	amaysim FTTP, HFC NBN500 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/43 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $40/mth off for the first 6 months ($30 NBN Black Friday Offer + $10 Standard Intro Offer), then $90/mth. Ends 30.11 $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	Telstra	Telstra FTTP, HFC Premium Internet Only Plan FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Get 50% off all internet plans for 4 months. Offer ends 30.11.26. T&Cs apply. $99/mth Min. cost $49.50 Go to Site	$99/mth Min. cost $49.50	Go to Site
#3	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom FTTP, HFC Speedy Max NBN 500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42.5 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
#4	Dodo	Dodo FTTP, HFC nbn500 Unlimited Plan FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/48 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
#5	Belong	Belong FTTP, HFC NBN Fast – Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $25 off for 12 months - $70/mth for first 12 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 30.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $70/mth for first 12 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $70 Link not supplied	$70/mth for first 12 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $70	Link not supplied
#6	Kogan Internet Editor's Pick	Kogan Internet FTTP, HFC Editor's Pick Gold Plus Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42 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
#7	Exetel	Exetel FTTP, HFC One Plan 500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/45 Mbps Unlimited Data $80/mth Min. cost $80 Go to Site	$80/mth Min. cost $80	Go to Site
#8	SpinTel	SpinTel FTTP, HFC Home Turbo 500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20.95 off your plan for first 6 months! $69/mth for first 6 months, then $89.95/mth. $69/mth for first 6 mths, then $89.95/mth Min. cost $69 Go to Site	$69/mth for first 6 mths, then $89.95/mth Min. cost $69	Go to Site
#9	Superloop	Superloop FTTP, HFC Family Max nbn500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/45 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $21/mth off for 6 mths! $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
#10	Flip	Flip FTTP, HFC Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $19.90/mth off for 6 months - $69/mth for first 6mths then $88.90/mth. New customers only. Ends 30.11.26. T&Cs apply. $69/mth for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth Min. cost $69 Go to Site	$69/mth for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth Min. cost $69	Go to Site

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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