Internet Provider for (Semi-) Newbies

slee123 on 12/12/2019 - 17:28
Last edited 12/12/2019 - 17:29

I know it probably has been discussed before…
My husband and I just moved to Australia (though I am originally from here) from Canada. In general, things are on par or better than Canadian prices. So far the things my husband is outraged by are prices of coke (the cola variety) and beer.

I am doing a bit of research on utilities and right now internet is one I am having a tough time with. Australia has a buttload of providers out there to choose from, and NBN is a thing that snuck in while I was living in Canada so I have no real knowledge of what it is really. It is FTTN/B, which I am guessing is fibre optic internet? If this is the case then this is comparable to what we had in Canada.

In Canada we got 100/100 unlimited speeds for $50.85 (after tax). So far it looks like to get anything comparable, its $90+
We are looking to live in an apartment temporarily (3-6months maybe) so don't want locked in contracts or anything.

  1. Is NBN really the one to go for?
  2. If not, what ISPs would you recommend?
  3. If so, what RSPs would you recommend?
  4. Who should I avoid at all costs (bad customer service, difficult to disconnect if needed or change address)
  5. Does anyone know if the Apple AirPort router is compatible?
Internet Broadband nbn

Comments

  • Markmathews on 12/12/2019 - 17:34

    Justin trudeux wouldn't get into a pub

  • scrimshaw on 12/12/2019 - 17:57

    nbn is just our brand for "faster broadband" in Australia. In air quotes because the speed that you'll get is highly dependant on a lot of factors.

    Our government did a mixed tech rollout and what we got is a mish-mash of Fiber, copper, coaxial, and wireless. All of the different technologies are explained on this page here.

    https://www.nbnco.com.au/blog/the-nbn-project/what-is-the-nb…

    You don't get to choose the type of technology you'll receive either — the location of your home is what determines what tech you get.

    ISP's and RSP's actually mean the same thing. Internet Service Providers sell you internet directly while Retail Service Providers are reselling you part of the wholesale NBN network. But to the customer, there's zero difference.

    for deals on NBN, just go to https://www.ozbargain.com.au/tag/nbn

    • slee123 on 12/12/2019 - 20:50

      I have had a look at what's been posted, just don't know who to go with. A lot of new providers I haven't heard of.

      • scrimshaw on 12/12/2019 - 22:44
        +2

        I've been with both Aussie Broadband and Superloop. Both have been pretty good in terms of service reliability.

        If you're unsure, avoid locking yourself into a 12 month contract, you'll have the flexibility of changing to a different provider if you're unhappy with the service.

  • Sage on 12/12/2019 - 18:36
    -4

    Superloop seems to be an OzB favourite. Price if you want max speeds is $77.95 a month. (100/40)(No lock in contract)
    As far as which technology to "choose", you just go with whatever is available for your area. I doubt there's a choice involved.

    Things cost more here because the population isn't as dense.
    Our minimum wage is higher too, so it works out. ($12 AUD in Canada per hour, $19.49 AUD in Australia per hour)

    Coke is pretty cheap too… Big bottle for a dollar, 10 pack of cans for $5 when on special or the larger packs can work out between 25 and 30 cents a can.

    Slee, if you need help with electricity I can provide a referral discount for GloBird. Please enable private messages and let me know if you're interested and they're available for your area. It's not a massive discount but it'll sweeten any comparable deal.

    • slee123 on 12/12/2019 - 19:28

      25c-30c a can is what he is looking for! I have him drinking Solo which is about 88c a litre right now.
      Checked out GloBird, looks like they use Citipower? What is the referral discount for me anyway? I know someone downvoted you (presumably because of the referral credit you might earn?) but if I can get a discount who cares! I'll enable PM now.

  • donga100 on 12/12/2019 - 18:49
    +1

    I'd recommend Aussie Broadband for their quality of (internet) service and also their customer support. When you call them you speak to someone in Australia who doesn't stuff around with unnecessary questions and gets straight to the point of helping solve your issue or answer your question. Having been with Telstra before (for $10 per month more) it is a blessing not to have to stress about calling your ISP.

  • brad1-8tsi on 13/12/2019 - 07:49
    +1

    AFAIK, you have 2 choices if your suburb is already on NBN (what's the postcode?)

    1) NBN via an NBN retailer. All the prices will be similar as they all buy at the same price from the NBN (it's nuts). I'm with TPG because I was with TPG on ADSL2 and they offered me a good deal to stick with them and I like their tech support. AussieBB and the others are all fair choices too. I'm on a FTTN 50/20 plan which is $70/m and it delivers 45/19 in peak times (postcode 2043)

    2) Optus 5G broadband if it's in your area.

    look at Wattever.com.au or energymadeeasy.gov.au for power/gas.

    Get your son off the soft drinks

    • slee123 on 16/12/2019 - 13:18

      Thanks.
      It’s my husband that’s addicted to soft drinks and we just bought a soda stream from Costco to help with that part.

      I’ll check Optus broadband - my friend recommended that.
      I’ll check your other website recs too. Thanks.

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