Best home wireless internet plans in Australia January 2025: NBN fixed wireless, 4G and 5G broadband plans compared

If you've been left unimpressed with your home's fixed-line NBN, or if you simply don't have such a connection, you should consider some of the best wireless broadband plans.

There are plenty of wireless broadband plan types in Australia; the best 5G internet plans typically have the greatest cost-to-speed ratio, but if you live in an area without 5G, you could also consider the best 4G broadband plans. If you don't want either, and you don't have a fixed-line connection to your home, you may live in an area with NBN fixed wireless, which offers NBN plans over wireless signals. Mobile broadband is also an option if you want portable internet.

Just keep in mind that the best NBN plans still offer quite competitive pricing and a greater variety of options from dozens of providers against these alternatives. A reliable fixed-line connection will also offer lower latency, leading to better performance when it comes to online games and things that require quick data streaming (like video calls).

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

Best 5G home internet plans

Let’s start with 5G home internet. Adoption of 5G plans across mobile and internet categories is still ongoing, with many telcos not currently offering access to 5G networks, however there's nothing stopping you from picking up a fairly nice 5G home internet plan quite cheaply.

5G plans leverage networks operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to beam internet into your home. If your area is unserviced by a 5G network, you may be interested in 4G broadband, which we'll discuss further down.

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

Best 5G home internet plan

SpinTel 5G Unlimited Wireless Broadband | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$79p/m (for 6 months, AU$89 ongoing)

SpinTel's premium 5G home internet solution offers a whopping fast 240Mbps maximum theoretical speed and unlimited data, making it one of the fastest 5G broadband plans in the country. Factored into the cost is a six month, AU$10 per month discount, along with a modem postage cost of AU$25. The modem remains free for the duration of your plan, after which you'll need to return it within 21 days or pay out the full cost.

Total minimum cost: AU$104 (including modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,008 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,068

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Best 4G home internet plans

It may be slower than other options, but 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. They're fairly cheap and accessible, but they're nowhere near as fast as 5G or the NBN.

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 and postage) | Total first year cost: AU$647.40

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Best NBN fixed wireless plans

Across a lot of regional and rural Australia, the NBN leverages wireless radio bands to service homes with accessible broadband. This is called NBN fixed wireless, and it's comparable to both 5G and 4G in service, but is ultimately part of the larger national broadband network.

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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