You can now speed boost your Optus NBN plan for $5

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 22 February 2023

Optus customers can now pay $5 for a one-off 24-hour boost that maxes out their NBN speeds.

In theory, this allows someone paying for an Optus NBN 50 plan to get access to NBN 1000 speeds for $5. In reality, the speeds accessible via the boost will depend on a customer's NBN technology type.

Customers on an FTTN or FTTB connection won't be able to go past 100Mbps, while you'll need HFC to speed boost to NBN 1000. FTTP and FTTC connections can't speed boost currently, but Optus says these will be eligible in the future.

Customers wanting to activate a speed boost will need to do so through the My Optus app.

Here is Optus' current range of NBN plans:

All Fixed Line nbn®

Optus Basic nbn®

All Fixed Line nbn®

nbn® 25/8 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: $68/mth for a year, then $83/mth or as notified. New services. Incl intro offer + extra $5/mth off. Min cost $374. Ends 6/10.

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

Optus isn't the only telco offering speed boosts for NBN plans. Superloop and Exetel both offer customers on NBN 50 plans five free speed boosts per month. These speed boosts will only upgrade you to the next speed tier, rather than to the maximum speed your connection is capable of. For example, an NBN 100 plan can only be boosted to NBN 250.

Exetel restricts speed boosts to customers on FTTP, HFC, and FTTN connections, but Superloop hasn't disclosed the same kind of qualifiers. In both cases, the telcos sell extra speed boosts for $2 per day. Any unused speed boosts will be rolled over to the next billing month, up to a maximum of 30.

Here are Exetel and Superloop's plans with free speed boosts:

#1	Superloop	Superloop All Fixed Line nbn® Extra-value nbn50/20 All Fixed Line nbn® nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $20/mth off for 6 months! $69/mth for 6 mths, then $89/mth + Bundle & Save $69/mth for first 6 mths, then $89/mth Min. cost $69 Go to Site	$69/mth for first 6 mths, then $89/mth Min. cost $69	Go to Site
#2	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
#3	Superloop	Superloop FTTN, FTTB, FTTC Family nbn100/20 FTTN, FTTB, FTTC nbn® 95/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $21/mth off 6 months! $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
#4	Superloop	Superloop nbn Fixed Wireless Plus (100/20) nbn® Wireless 80/12 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $15/mth off 6 months! $77/mth for 6 mths, then $92/mth + Free eero 7 modem when you stay for 24 mths + Bundle & Save $77/mth for first 6 mths, then $92/mth Min. cost $77 Go to Site	$77/mth for first 6 mths, then $92/mth Min. cost $77	Go to Site
#5	Superloop	Superloop FTTP, HFC Megaspeed nbn750/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 750/45 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $25/mth off for 6 mths! $74/mth for 6 mths, then $104/mth + Free eero 7 modem when you stay for 24 mths + Bundle & Save $79/mth for first 6 mths, then $104/mth Min. cost $79 Go to Site	$79/mth for first 6 mths, then $104/mth Min. cost $79	Go to Site
#6	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
#7	Superloop	Superloop FTTP, HFC Creator nbn250/100 FTTP, HFC nbn® 250/85 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $20/mth off for 6 mths! $82/mth for 6 mths, then $102/mth + Free eero 7 modem when you stay for 24 mths + Bundle & Save $82/mth for first 6 mths, then $102/mth Min. cost $82 Go to Site	$82/mth for first 6 mths, then $102/mth Min. cost $82	Go to Site
#8	Superloop	Superloop All Fixed Line nbn® Power home nbn100/40 All Fixed Line nbn® nbn® 95/34 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $20/mth off for 6 mths! $82/mth for 6 mths, then $102/mth + Free eero 7 modem when you stay for 24 mths + Bundle & Save $82/mth for first 6 mths, then $102/mth Min. cost $82 Go to Site	$82/mth for first 6 mths, then $102/mth Min. cost $82	Go to Site

In addition to NBN speed boosts, Optus is also beta testing mobile speed boosts for customers on postpaid plans. Since Optus' mobile plans don't have speed caps, the speed boosts instead give the user network priority. This means any requests a prioritised over customers that don't have a speed boost active, but Optus isn't guaranteeing any specific improvements.

Postpaid Optus customers on eligible plans will get five mobile speed boosts per month. Each of these speed boosts last for a single hour, and can be activated through the My Optus app. At this stage, customers can't pay for extra speed boosts, but Optus will charge $2 per mobile speed boost after the beta period is up.

An Optus spokesperson told us that the telco will consider still including free monthly mobile speed boosts after the beta period is up depending on the customer feedback gathered during the time. At present, there's no specific timeframe for the beta trial.

UPDATE (23/02/23): Added extra information about Optus mobile speed boosts after the beta period is up

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.

Read full bio