Optus' 4G home wireless plans just got cheaper in case you're sick of the NBN

Anula Wiwatowska - Offsite Editorial Lead

Last updated 03 March 2022

Optus has cut the price of its 4G home wireless broadband plans to just $59 which is great news for anyone unhappy with their NBN connection.

Down from $69 per month, Optus 4G home broadband plans come with a 500GB data allowance, and are available as either a 24-month contract or a contract-free term. If you choose to go contract-free you’ll need to pay $216 for your modem upfront, or if you jump on a contract you’ll get the modem for free. Either way, you’ll get your first month free.

4G home broadband is powered by the same technology that connects your mobile phone to the internet. It is kind of like using the hotspot on your phone without actually using the hotspot on your phone.

Optus’ 4G plans come with a plug-in modem that uses a wired power source as opposed to running off a battery like your phone, or a portable hotspot might. This makes these plans work immediately, straight out of the box. No technicians or additional set-up fees.

These plans in particular run at uncapped 4G speeds, but performance will vary depending on the coverage in your area. Our testing saw speeds of between 20Mbps and 50Mbps.

Of course if 4G isn’t enough for you, and you’re in a 5G coverage area, you could also consider 5G home broadband. 5G home internet works in the same way as 4G, you’ll have a plug-in modem that connects to the mobile network.

These connections however are significantly faster than 4G. Telstra advertises typical evening speeds of around 378Mbps, Optus advertises 210Mbps typical evening speeds, and the TPG group including Vodafone are yet to release any figures. In saying that, our testing has seen Vodafone 5G speeds hit up to 478Mbps in certain areas of Sydney.

Apart from Optus, every provider will let you return your modem when you cancel your plan, and won’t charge you for it. If you sign up with Optus however, you’ll need to pay the prorated value of the modem if you leave within the initial 36 months. This is equal to $16 multiplied by the number of remaining months.

Anula Wiwatowska

Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram

Anula is the Off-Site Editorial Lead for WhistleOut Australia, and an award winning tech journalist. She has been writing about the Australian telco industry, and consumer technology for over five years, and has been known to tell her Uber driver which phone they should upgrade to next.

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