With so many internet service providers offering so many different internet plans, finding the one that’s right for you can be tough. But at the end of the day, the perfect internet plan will always be the one that can meet your home internet needs without making you pay for what you won’t use. In this article, we take you through the four things you need to consider to figure out what your internet needs are, as well as what plans are built to match. Let’s start narrowing down your search!

How many people are in your household? 

This is one of the first things you need to think about when working out just how much internet data you need. The more people that are going to be using the internet in your household, the more data you’ll be using on a monthly basis. As a guide, the latest figures from the ACCC Internet Activity report have clocked the average Australian household using 361GB per month on an National Broadband Network connection. Luckily, most broadband providers offer unlimited data internet plans so you don’t have to worry about data usage.

However, data allowance isn’t the only thing you’ll need to consider. More simultaneous users create more strain on your bandwidth, which means you’ll need a plan with sufficient typical evening speed to handle your household’s internet usage without resulting in a slow internet experience.

How many devices will be connected at the same time?

Similar to the size of your household, you’ll also need to consider how many devices each person has and how many of those will be connected at once. This is because the more devices you have using the internet at the same time, the higher your bandwidth needs will be. Greater bandwidth allows for more devices to connect to the internet simultaneously without any reduction in speed. Typically, home internet plans with faster download speeds will provide greater bandwidth, which is why it’s a good idea to look at higher speed tier plans if you expect many connected devices.

As a guide, if you want to watch a Full High Definition movie on Netflix then you’ll need a minimum bandwidth of 15Mbps. Naturally, this will jump to a minimum of 45 Mbps if there will be three users streaming at once, so choose your speed tier and broadband provider accordingly.

What kind of online activity will you (and others) be doing?

The next thing you need to consider is what everyone in the household will be doing online. Activities such as browsing the web, streaming movies or TV shows, playing video games and downloading files all need to be accounted for. Some of these activities use more data than others. For example, streaming HD video uses a lot more data than reading an article, so it’s important to take this into account when estimating your monthly usage and home internet speed requirements.

What kind of nbn connection type is available at your address?

Depending on where you live across Australia, the National Broadband Network could be delivered to your home in one of a few different ways, known as an nbn connection type. Three of the most common nbn connection types include Fibre to the Curb, Fibre to the Node and Fibre to the Premises. The nbn technology available at your address will ultimately dictate the maximum internet speeds you can receive and therefore which nbn speed tiers are available to you. This is something you need to take into account when considering what broadband plan you need.

The mobile broadband alternative  

If you don’t yet have an nbn connection set up at your residence and want to sidestep the installation process, the good news is that you can still get an internet connection with mobile broadband. Instead of signing up for a traditional nbn plan that uses a fixed-line connection, you can connect to the internet via the wireless network of an internet service provider.

There are four different types of mobile broadband, including data only SIM (similar to a mobile phone plan), USB modem, pocket WiFi (requiring a 4G modem), and home wireless (requiring a 5G modem). However, one downside of mobile broadband is that speeds can vary depending on where you are and how many people are using the network at the same time.

Compare internet plans with MATE

Whether you’re after a brand new plan or you’re looking at switching internet providers, at MATE we have a range of affordable nbn plans𑁋all with unlimited data so you never have to worry about going over your monthly allowance again! With five different packages spanning a range of speed tiers, MATE is an internet provider that is sure to have an nbn plan that’s right for you.

• Crikey nbn 25/10 ($65/month): Designed for a small household of 1–4 individuals, Crikey provides typical busy period download speeds of 25Mbps. This plan is suitable for light internet activities such as browsing, engaging on social media, and streaming HD content on a single device.
• Ripper nbn 50/20 ($75/month): Tailored for a medium-sized household of up to 6 individuals, our Ripper plan offers average evening speeds of 48Mbps. With increased capacity, this plan supports streaming, gaming, and all-around internet usage.
• No Worries nbn 100/20 ($85/month): Boasting typical evening speeds of 95Mbps, No Worries is meant for larger households with over 6 users. This package is excellent for online gaming, streaming three HD videos simultaneously or a single 4K video, along with routine internet tasks like browsing, emailing, and music streaming.
• You Beaut nbn 100/40 ($95/month): Comparable to the No Worries 100/20 plan, but with double the potential upload speed (up to 40Mbps instead of 20Mbps), this package is ideal for those who regularly upload content to platforms such as YouTube and social media.
• Fair Dinkum nbn 250/25 ($110/month): Geared towards heavy internet users, with average evening speeds of 202Mbps, this plan covers all basic internet needs and supports simultaneous 4K video streaming and high upload speeds for seamless video calls.