Best home wireless internet plans in Australia December 2024: NBN fixed wireless, 4G and 5G broadband plans compared

Wireless broadband plans are worth considering in a handful of situations; if you live in a regional part of Australia, if your fixed-line NBN plan is prone to outages or is nonexistent, or if you want internet on-the-go. Going wireless is a good way of getting an internet connection for a variety of lifestyles.

It’s absolutely worth shopping around for a bargain now and again in the wireless internet world; the best 5G internet and the best 4G broadband plans tend to come with generous discounts, and you’ll often see prices slashed on NBN fixed wireless and mobile broadband offerings too.

Just keep some things in mind. Firstly, you might want to consider the best NBN plans if you do in fact have a reliable fixed-line connection to your home, as it’ll offer lower latency and competitive prices from a wider range of providers. NBN fixed wireless is also included in this article, but note that this is a form of NBN intended for those living in regional and rural Australia where cabled internet isn’t provided.

Let’s get into the best wireless broadband options in Australia.

Best 5G home internet plans

Let’s start with the hottest tech on the block – 5G home internet. Adoption of 5G plans across mobile and internet categories is still ongoing, however, many telcos in Australia are now offering 5G home internet plans alongside 4G plans.

The distinction could matter to you if you live in an area that’s poorly serviced by 5G but has plenty of 4G to spare (find 4G plans further down). These plans leverage networks operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to beam internet into your home.

Just keep in mind that 5G home broadband isn’t meant to be portable. For that, scroll down to the mobile broadband section.

Best 5G home internet plan

Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$89p/m (for six months, then AU$99p/m)

If you want to maximise 5G and its potential for high download speeds, this uncapped Optus home internet plan takes the cake.

Optus advertises typical evening speeds of 240Mbps, but since there is no cap on the potential maximum, you may find you achieve speeds far greater than this. Due to factors such as your distance from the 5G tower and the line of sight, this isn’t an absolute guarantee. If you find you do achieve the fast download speeds, it makes this plan competitively priced. Optus’ 5G network has been a consistent top performer in ACCC reports, so if you live in an area with good 5G internet coverage and few obstacles, this could be a top pick for your household.

Total minimum cost: AU$557 (including modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,128 (excl. modem) | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,188

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Best 4G home internet plans

5G hasn’t completely replaced 4G yet. 4G home internet plans are still an attractive option if your home exists outside of 5G coverage range. 4G broadband plans are offered by internet providers which leverage the networks serviced by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

Keep in mind that these plans, while wireless, must stay at your home address. If you want portable internet, then you should consider a mobile broadband option as outlined below.

Best 4G home internet plan

Spintel | 4G home internet | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$49.95p/m

Spintel is our pick for the best value 4G home internet plan due it offering among the fastest download speeds and being one of the most affordable providers.

Spintel advertises 25Mbps typical evening download speeds, which ranks it as being one of the fastest providers of 4G home internet. You also only need to pay AU$49.95 per month.

Other providers tend to offer the first month of the service for free, but the regular monthly payments are higher than Spintel's cost. Spintel also promises a 14 day free trial, wherein if you're not totally satisfied with the service, you can cancel without any hidden charges.

You can also choose the option of paying AU$4p/m for the 4G Huawei B628 modem, AU$10p/m for the Netgear AC800S portable 4G modem, or a one-off upfront fee of AU$210 for the B628 modem. These three options come with a AU$20 postage fee applied too. If you ever decide to cancel your service, you have 21 days to return the modem (if you're renting it) otherwise you'll be asked to pay out the remainder of the AU$210 upfront cost.

Total minimum cost: AU$69.95 (incl. modem) | Total annual cost: AU$599.40

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Best NBN fixed wireless plans

Where fixed line NBN connections cannot reach, NBN providers offer fixed wireless plans, which leverage the NBN where possible and rely on wireless radio bands where not.

Speed tiers of NBN fixed wireless plans have received a buff in recent years, with plans as fast as 400 download/10-40 upload (400/10-40Mbps) to be made available this year. Let’s get into the best NBN fixed wireless plans.

Best NBN fixed wireless plan

Tangerine Fixed Wireless Plus | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$62.90p/m (first 6 months then AU$82.90p/m)

This deal from Tangerine gets you an NBN fixed wireless plan with unlimited data and a typical evening speed of 23Mbps. Maximum speeds are quoted as the top tier 100Mbps and upload speeds are theoretically capable of reaching 20Mbps.

You’ll pay AU$62.90 a month for your first six months on the connection, after which it raises to AU$82.90 a month ongoing, which is still the best option out there for this speed and data combo. Tangerine can provide you with an Eero modem router for AU$169.90, or you can bring your own.

Total minimum cost: AU$63.90 | Total cost for first year: $880.80

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Best mobile broadband plans

While none of these other plans allow for portability and internet on the go, mobile broadband plans do. Think of mobile broadband as an internet plan, like the internet available on your phone via your phone plan provider, without having a phone number attached. These plans leverage 4G and 5G networks serviced by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

The world of mobile broadband can get a bit complicated. Some providers will offer mobile broadband as coupled to a specific device or a dongle, while others will offer simply the SIM card, or offer a specialty device as an optional extra. You might want a special, portable modem-router if you’re looking to provide internet to several devices at once, or you might want a SIM if you want on-the-go internet access for your tablet or SIM-capable laptop.

Best cheap mobile broadband plan: our pick

Tangerine | Mobile broadband | 100GB data | No lock-in contract | AU$34.90p/m

If you’re more data-hungry, consider this 5G-capable mobile broadband plan from Tangerine. It gives you 100GB a month to burn through for just AU$34.90 each billing (after an initial AU$5p/m discount for the first 6 months).

Belong uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G networks, though it says download speeds are capped at 100Mbps for both – that still makes it as fast as some of the best NBN 100 plans. You can find Tangerine mobile broadband plans with 200GB and 400GB of data, and these cap speeds at 250Mbps, but you do need to pay a lot more each month.

If you don't already own a mobile broadband router, then Tangerine is happy to sell you one for the rather steep cost of AU$499.

Total minimum cost: AU$34.90 | Total cost for first year: AU$418.80

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