News.com.au: ACCC-ranked broadband speeds show cost isn’t everything

WhistleOut spokesman Joseph Hanlon talks with News.com.au about the latest ACCC NBN speeds report and what the best deals out there are.

Telecommunications comparison website WhistleOut.com.au says entry-level NBN plans cost $60-$70 a month, while ADSL plans are $55-$80 including phone line costs.

Popular NBN 50 plans cost $60-$80 a month, and NBN premium plans cost $85-$100.

WhistleOut spokesman Joe Hanlon said it was great to see some cheaper, no-frills providers such as TPG and Exetel near the top of the ACCC’s speed lists.

“It really shows that you don’t have to pay top dollar to get a fast internet plan you can rely on,” he said.

NBN connections grew 36 per cent last year to 6.4 million homes and business premises, and another 4.1 million premises are ready to connect.

Mr Hanlon said the improving speeds should give consumers confidence about switching to the NBN.

“Now that most of the kinks have been worked out and the NBN as a service is humming along, it is a great time to start shopping around for a great internet deal,” he said.

Consumers should always check if there were set-up fees and look for plans with unlimited data, Mr Hanlon said.

And don’t be afraid to try smaller providers, he said, with WhistleOut liking brands such as Superloop and Tangerine that were not measured by the ACCC speed tests but were still fast and cheap.

“A lot of smaller providers have no contract terms attached to their plans,” Mr Hanlon said.

“Even if you don’t recognise the brand name there’s actually little risk signing up with them – if you are not happy with the service, move on.”