How to choose an NBN plan

How to choose an NBN plan


The National Broadband Network (NBN) is redefining the idea of fast, reliable internet across Australia. Whether you’re an online gamer, a streaming platform enthusiast, or an avid social media user, there is a plan that fits your need. With so many NBN plans to choose from, it can be sometimes overwhelming to decide which one works for you the best. This handy guide will help you find the right plan that fits your needs.

Before getting excited about the plans that your NBN service provider offers, ask yourself the following questions –

  • What do you require the internet for?
  • How many users will access the internet at your home?
  • Do you require the internet to watch streaming channels such as Netflix or Stan?
  • Do you use the internet for gaming?
  • How much is your budget?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can now place yourself into the following categorised bracket to determine your data needs –

Web Surfing

If your internet connection is required only for access emails, make voice calls, and surf the web with minimal use of video streaming and social media access, your consumption shouldn’t be more than 300 MB per hour.

Online Gaming

Gaming varies widely depending upon the type of game and the server you connect. Typically, games can take up to 100-200 MB per hour. With downloading options and updates for every game, your requirement might shoot up to 200 GB for a month.

Social Media Networking

Apart from the regular surfing, if you intend to use the internet for social media networking, the data requirement will increase for posting as well as downloading media. If you also post or view/download videos from these sites, you would require anywhere between 1-2 GB data per hour.

Entertainment

If you are into streaming a lot of video and audio from services such as Netflix, Stan, Presto and YouTube, your requirement might shoot up to an average of 3.5 GB per hour.

Comparing Plans

NBN is available across Australia through registered internet service providers such as Harbour ISP that offers tailor-made plans to match your requirement. Depending on the category discussed above, your requirement of data, speed, and budget will help you decide the best-suited NBN plan.

The providers will provide you with a Speed Tier and two speeds that denote the download and upload speeds. The speed is calculated by the amount of data that can be transferred per second to and from your computer and is expressed in Mbps. These plans also come with higher speed option during evenings (7 to 11 pm).

Typically the following plans are available from most NBN providers –

  • Speed 12/1 Mbps – Suited for Web Surfers
  • Speed 25/5 Mbps – Suited for Web Surfers and Light Social Media Networking
  • Speed 50/20 Mbps – Suited for large households for surfing, HD streaming, and gaming
  • Speed 100/40 Mbps – Suited for 4K (UHD) streaming and high-res gaming

Depending on your plan and requirement, most NBN providers offer a free router upgrade and also a phone line on long-term contracts.

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