ADSL and ADSL2+ still exist in Australia, but only in pretty limited situations. As the NBN completed its rollout, copper connections were scheduled to be cut off 18 months later. The last of those copper connections were due to be cut off in June 2022.
However, anywhere where a fixed-line NBN connection wasn't made, ADSL copper line connections were left undisturbed. With the NBN rollout basically finished now, the remaining copper lines are mostly in rural Australia. If you're not in one of those areas, your provider should have already switched you over to an NBN service by this point.
For most Australians, the replacement to ADSL was fixed-line NBN, which is faster and more reliable. However, if you still have ADSL at your place, then you're probably not able to get a fixed-line connection. In that case, you have 3 alternatives - fixed wireless, Sky Muster or home wireless.
Fixed wireless is one of the NBN's technologies made for rural Australia. Fixed wireless sees the internet broadcast out via radio waves, then picked up by an antenna that's installed on your roof. Despite radio waves feeling a little old-school, fixed wireless can be a lot faster than ADSL.
Sky Muster is the NBN satellite internet technology, literally beaming down memes from space. It's not a terrible tech these days, with decent speeds and unlimited data caps available on plans costing around $100 a month. It's not cheap, but it's a nice experience to not count your gigabytes.
Sky Muster requires the installation of a dish at your home, but the cost will be covered by NBN co, which is cool. There are other satellite internet providers, namely Starlink, which offer higher speeds, but they're also a lot more expensive, including several hundred dollars for a satellite dish.
Home wireless is a non-NBN technology that's now a very viable alternative to fixed-line NBN, as well as ADSL connections. It uses the same 4G and 5G services that your mobile phone uses, which offer the same data speeds that many fibre connections do.
The catch is that you need good coverage where you live to get service. Providers won't even send you a modem to try it unless you pass their fairly high standards for coverage. This means it's going to mostly be limited to regional cities, as opposed to truly rural Aussies.
"The last time I had ADSL internet was when I lived in rural South Australia. It cost me $60 a month with the phone, but I was also charged a $299 setup fee and a break of contract fee. All for just 250GB a month and a speed of less than 25Mbps. I now pay $100 a month for an unlimited 500Mbps NBN connection, with no lock-in contract or setup fees. ADSL was super important when I had no other option, but it's NBN all the way these days."
There are very few ADSL providers remaining in Australia. Some of the smaller telcos that still offer ASDL in a limited number of areas include the following:
Note that even among those providers, Telstra is the only one we've found that seems to offer plans to new customers. Even then, you have to call to order.
Larger telcos including Optus, TPG, iiNet and Vodafone offered ADSL connections in the past, but they are no longer accepting new customers.
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I recently tried to transfer to Belong for my ADSL connection. That was almost a month ago. Istill have no connection and cannot fet in touch with them. Do you have any suggestions on who i should try instead?
Hi Gai,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
If you wish to contact Belong to inquire about your existing plan with them, you may head to their official website. On their “Support and contact” page, there is a button to leave a message.
If you wish however to look into other providers, this page we are on offers a variety of ADSL2+ and ADSL providers that you may choose and what plans are most suitable to you.
Kindly review and compare your options on the table displaying the available providers. Once you have chosen a particular provider, you may then click on the “Go to site” button and you will be redirected to the provider’s website where you can proceed with the application or get in touch with their representatives for further inquiries you may have.
Before applying, please ensure that you review relevant Product Disclosure Statements/Terms and Conditions when comparing your options before making a decision on whether it is right for you. If you are still under contract with Belong, it is still best to contact them before switching to another provider as this may incur fees for early disconnection. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Dear friends.
I beg you to answer me. Now I use my home phone with Telstra, and the internet ADSL2 + with Belong (and i am happy with ADSL 2+). I have been notified that Telstra will soon shut down my line and that I have to go to NBN (NBN is very expensive for my retirees monthly payments, and the providers do not give any guarantee that the speed of the Internet will be better for NBN than this current speed that I have with ADSL2 +). I’ve heard that if Telstra switches off my phone (because I do not want to have a home phone anymore), I can still use my home line and have Internet ADSL 2+ with my current Belong provider. I ask you to reply if possible to continue with my Internet provider (Belong), when Telstra switches off my home phone and tell me how to do it. In advance I thank you for your response and help. Thank you ! Emil
Hi Emil,
Thank you for your inquiry.
Just to give you a little background about NBN, once it becomes available in your area, your existing telecommunications networks will be replaced and upgraded. The upgrade to the National Broadband Network is actually compulsory once it’s available and installed. This is the reason why Telstra has to shutdown your phone line. As for your internet connection with Belong, in time, it will still be switched to NBN. ADSL/2+ services delivered over the network will be switched off 18 months after the area goes live for NBN. Though you would receive a warning from your provider and from NBN before the disconnection. I would suggest that you contact Belong if you still want to get services from them for your new NBN connection or discuss options available to you before your line and ADSL gets disconnected.
Meanwhile, you may find our guide on how to switch to NBN useful.
Best regards,
Rench
hi. im a little confused when it comes to this sort of stuff. iam currently living in a townhouse in a complex of 14. iam wanting to get home internet connection but am so confused on what to do and who to go with. i dont have a home phone line connection and never have since i have lived here, but there is a power point input in the kitchen wich has a phone line point, wich im gathering is where you would plug in a modem or phone connection right? so does that mean i can just plug a modem into that input and it will work or do i need to call up and pay for a phone line connection?? and then what is Naked adsl and would that be what i needed to go for?? arrrgh im so confused, can someone please help me or give me any sort of info and help on what my best options to go for would be? thankyou!!
Hi Kellie,
Thanks for your inquiry.
If you really don’t need a home phone, naked DSL offers a solution to this situation. Rather than charging you for phone service you’re not going to use, a naked DSL service strips out the telephone component and dedicates your copper phone line to Internet traffic. While this won’t result in any increases in Internet speed since ADSL and phone data operate at different frequencies, it will save you money by not having to pay twice for a single copper line.
You may compare your options for naked DSL. If you have already chosen a provider, you may directly call them to apply or you may visit their website.
Hope this information helps
Cheers,
Arnold
Do the companies accept our modem if we have one? I have a Sagemcom (no idea about the model, because there are so many numbers and codes at its bottom). I’m quoting ADSL for now. Cheers!
Hi Carol!
Usually, internet providers allow you to use your own modem as it is a self-installation process. Now, if it is not working, you may call your current provider (not the provider who previously owns your modem), to see if there is incompatibility and see if they can fix it or you need to buy a new one.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
I live in Mernda. Have been waiting for 12months to recieve a port at the exchange so I can get a phone line at my house.
Any idea how I can push this along or how far away NBN is from being installed in my area.
Slowing beginning to boil with frustration.
Thanks
Hi Malcolm,
Sounds frustrating. I would recommend entering your full address in our NBN tracker.
Cheers,
Brodie