When we make our recommendations for the best NBN plans, we not only look at the cost of the service relative to the speed it provides, but we also aim to factor in its reliability. Usually, we refer to the Broadband Performance data reports published by the nation’s consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), as it includes information relating to network outages, but this doesn't necessarily reveal the experience each individual user is likely to have.
However, independent communication analyst Opensignal has recently published its own report, conducted by assessing the six largest internet service providers (ISPs) in Australia and determining how they score across six different metrics relating to online experience. Those six providers are Aussie Broadband, Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG and Vocus, who together hold more than 90% of the Australian residential NBN wholesale market.
The result? Aussie Broadband came out on top, with Optus an incredibly close second.
Aussie Broadband flying the home flag
Of the six metrics used for assessment, Aussie Broadband claimed a clear win in three and came in as a joint winner for two (tied with Optus both times). Telstra was the outright winner for the ‘Consistent Quality’ metric.
Opensignal's Reliability Experience metric measures "the ability of a household to connect to the internet and to successfully complete ‘uninterrupted’ tasks across multiple devices, encompassing work and recreational activities.” It’s estimated that the average Australian household has 21 internet-connected devices, so having an ISP that can sustain this large number (which is only expected to grow) is practically a necessity.
Each of the six providers was given a score out of 1,000, with Aussie Broadband scoring 653 to Optus’ 651. Telstra scored 627; Vocus, 609; TPG, 595 and Vodafone, 511.
The Reliability Experience score is determined by three key factors:
• Connectivity: if a user can successfully connect to the internet
• Completion: if a user can successfully complete tasks such as streaming video, making video/voice calls and sending/receiving texts
• Sufficiency: if a user is able to successfully start and complete their session uninterrupted
Real-world applications
What these results mean for the general internet user is that Aussie Broadband is an ISP worth considering if you want to have the best overall online experience at home.
But, it’s no secret that Aussie Broadband isn’t the most affordable provider available. Fortunately, the Australian-owned telco launched a more budget-friendly offshoot in July called Buddy Telco. Buddy uses the same network as Aussie Broadband and so, in theory, should also provide the same reliable network.
The main difference between Aussie Broadband and Buddy is that the latter doesn’t supply any hardware (but if you already have an NBN connection at home, then you’ll already have a modem) and the majority of customer support is dealt with by an AI chatbot. Taking Opensignal’s findings into account, you may not need to call upon that customer support anyway.
This news may be especially useful for budget-conscious internet users who want to experience the fastest possible speeds, as Buddy currently has the cheapest NBN 1000 plan at a flat rate of AU$99p/m. You can view the full selection of Aussie Broadband and Buddy NBN plans in the widget below.
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