Every quarter, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) speed tests NBN connections from the top providers in Australia. It measures speeds for all hours of the day including the crucial peak period (7–11pm) when most people are online.
The results in the ACCC Measuring Broadband report come from a month-long test period.
For its most recent report in March 2024, the testing period took place during December 2023. Around 447,254 download speed tests were performed across 1,279 fixed-line NBN services.
Users attained an average download performance of 100.5% of plan speed during all hours. This decreased to 98.8% during busy hours (between 7pm and 11pm), when networks experience higher activity.
These results are similar to those from the previous quarterly report (December 2023), where the corresponding figures were 100.5% of plan speed during all hours and 98.8% during busy hours.
What's changed in the latest ACCC report?
The first key change is that the ACCC is now measuring the performance of Leaptel so we have 12 providers on the list instead of the usual 11.
Secondly, Launtel's moved from the top position and gone down to number 6. Exetel is back to the days of glory by reclaiming the number 1 post.
Telstra's still in second place while Optus has moved up a spot to third position and Vodafone's dropped down to the last spot after being number 7 in the last report.
You can see the historical data of the 5 top-performing NBN providers below. Keep in mind that Launtel was not included in reports before 2022.
Is the fastest NBN provider also the best?
Not necessarily. While having a fast and reliable connection will be a factor to consider when choosing NBN plans, there will be other things you need to look at like price, data limits, added extras and more. You can check out our top picks for the best NBN plans to decide what might be right for you.
But if it's speed reliability that you're after, the ACCC's quarterly report is about as official as you can get for a seal of approval. We've broken down the 5 top-performing providers from the March 2024 report to see what they've got to offer.
1. Exetel's fastest NBN plans
Exetel's reclaimed the top spot in the March 2024, hitting 101.8% of maximum speeds available during busy hours of the day.
Signing up with Exetel will also get you:
Speed boosts. Certain plans allow you to temporarily boost your NBN speed for 5 days each month.
Bundle and save. You can bundle additional eligible Exetel services such as a mobile SIM plan or a home phone plan with your NBN service and get a discount.
After struggling with slow NBN speeds for months, I decided to switch to Exetel after seeing their consistent high results in the ACCC Broadband Report. Turns out they've topped the report for a reason - after switching, I was no longer buffering on video calls, and my internet speed test results were close to the advertised typical download speed.
A solid performer in ACCC's Broadband Performance reports, Telstra has retained it's spot in second place by delivering 101.7% of its maximum plan speed during peak.
Telstra also offers:
Rewards. You can earn Telstra Plus reward points to spend on things like movie tickets, tech and more.
Free home phone line. Telstra plans come with a home phone line at no extra cost, which includes unlimited calls to Australian mobiles and standard lines.
Free streaming. Depending on your NBN plan and whether you're a new customer to certain services, you could be eligible for free access to streaming services such as BINGE and Spotify.
In the March 2024 report, Optus moved up a spot to claim third place. It improved its performance by delivering 101.4% of maximum plan speeds during busy hours, an increase on 100.6% from the December 2023 report.
Optus NBN plans also come with:
4G back-up. Optus NBN plans come with the option of a 4G back-up modem, which is handy in case there's an outage.
Entertainment savings. Through Optus SubHub, you can bundle subscriptions to services such as Netflix and Prime Video to get a discount. Optus subscribers also get a discount to Optus Sport, which has exclusive access to the English Premier League and other football leagues.
Launtel rolled down to the fifth spot after its speed reliability dropped to 99.1% as opposed to 103.8% from the previous report.
Launtel's plans feature:
Per day pricing. Unlike other providers that offer monthly pricing, Launtel does it per day (we've calculated the approximate monthly prices in our tables to make comparing a bit easier). This allows you to switch between speed tiers daily, should you wish to.
First week free. Your first 7 days are at no charge when you sign up.
The option to BYO modem. Or you can call Launtel to ask what modem it suggests will work best for you.
47% of Australians are somewhat satisfied with their broadband speeds, according to our Consumer Sentiment Tracker (April 2024). Somewhat surprisingly, 33% of people in regional locations were extremely satisfied with their internet speeds compared to only 31% in metro areas.
Find the fastest NBN plans in your suburb
If you want a faster and more reliable NBN experience, you can easily find what's available at your location. Just put your address in below and you can see what connections are available at your residence.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the latest Measuring Broadband Australia report from March 2024, the fastest internet provider in Australia is Exetel. It achieved 100.8% of its advertised maximum speeds during peak hours.
The best NBN provider will depend on what you're after in terms of speed, price and plan features. You can find our top picks for the best NBN plans in Australia in our guide.
The fastest NBN speed tier in Australia is NBN 1000, also known as "Ultrafast". This would mostly suit small businesses, but of course your household could very well have a need for the fastest speeds available so choose what works best for you.
On Finder, the fastest NBN plan is Bendigo Telco's NBN UltraFast plan with a typical evening speed of 850Mbps.
There is currently no other internet plan in Australia that offers faster speeds than an NBN 1000 plan.
Your best alternative to the NBN for fast speeds would be a 5G home internet plan. You can expect speeds of 200–300Mbps on uncapped plans.
Keep in mind that 5G coverage isn't widely available in Australia yet so you may not be able to access it until it's rolled out in your location.
Mariam Gabaji is an editor and tech and utilities expert at Finder with over 11+ years of experience in print and digital media. Her main goal is to help households cut through the industry jargon and save money on their household bills. Her expertise is often featured in media including the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, 7News, A Current Affair, The Guardian, SBS and Money Magazine.
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