What is a good download speed for nbn internet?
Home & Business Internet Blog | MATE | 16 February 2022
What is a good download speed and what is the right nbn speed tier for you and your home? What are typical evening speeds? How will network congestion affect my nbn speeds? Are all internet service providers the same? These are questions that many people are asking as they switch to nbn internet in Australia through an internet service provider offering fast nbn plans.
The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions when it comes to maximum speeds, the way you check nbn speed, speed tiers, evening speeds and your internet provider. Different users will require different a different nbn internet speed in order to get the most out of their nbn connection and the download speeds needed will vary depending on the requirements of each household. A good nbn speed for one household may not be ideal for heavy internet users.
The maximum speed, both download speeds and upload speeds, available through internet service providers will also vary depending on a number of factors including what type of nbn technology connects your house. For example, if you live in a rural or regional area you may only have access to Fixed Wireless or satellite nbn plans which offer a slower speed than fixed-line services like Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) or Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). The nbn network is complicated and whether you can achieve a good nbn speed on your nbn connection will be determined by your location and what nbn co technology is available.
All in all, there are a lot of variables to consider and discuss when it comes to nbn speeds, the speed tier that you choose, maximum download speed and upload speeds and your internet connection at home when you switch to the national broadband network with an internet provider.
In this blog post, we will discuss the different nbn speed tiers that are offered by internet service providers and what this means for your internet speed, what these speed tiers mean in terms of the maximum nbn speeds you can achieve, and even what a typical evening speed means! This will help you determine which speed tier or speed tiers are right so you get the best broadband speeds possible with your chosen internet service provider!
What are nbn speed tiers?
The benefit of nbn broadband services offered by internet service providers is that they offer a range of wholesale speeds to suit different households’ needs. Whether you have multiple people streaming content at once or you simply like using the internet to email friends or send photos, there is an nbn speed tier that could suit your needs. The connection speed will vary and so will the actual internet speeds you experience, so it’s important to choose the right speed for your household.
If you just want to send emails and make phone calls, then the Home Basic II nbn speed tier is likely sufficient. On the other hand, if your home is full of people streaming, gaming or working remotely, then a higher speed tier like Home Superfast or Home Ultrafast might be a better fit. Let’s break them down:
The nbn offers a range of speed tiers designed to suit different types of households and online needs. Here’s an overview of the current speed tiers and what you can expect from each one:
Home Basic II (nbn 25)
- Stream in 4K on one device, or high-definition (HD) streaming
- Capable of basic online games
- Capable of video calls
- Download a 10GB file within 65 minutes
- Upload a 1GB file within 34 minutes
Home Standard (nbn 50)
- Stream in 4K resolution on 1–2 devices at the same time
- Capable of gaming online
- Highly capable of making video calls
- Download a 10GB file within 28–65 minutes (depending on your nbn access technology)
- Upload a 1GB file within 9–34 minutes
Home Fast (nbn 100 on FTTN/B and FTTC, nbn 500 on HFC and FTTP)
- Stream in 4K resolution on 1–4 devices at the same time
- Enjoy consistent online and cloud gameplay even when others are online
- Consistent video calls even if others in your household are online
- Download a 10GB file within 15–65 minutes (depending on your nbn access technology)
- Upload a 1GB file within 9–34 minutes
Home Superfast (nbn 750)
- Enjoy a smooth 4K streaming experience even when others are online, on up to 7 devices
- Enjoy smooth cloud-based and online gameplay even when others are online
- Smooth video calls even if others in your household are online
- Download a 10GB file within 8 minutes
- Upload a 1GB file within 7 minutes
Home Ultrafast (nbn 1000)
- Highly reliable 4K streaming – cinema-quality experience that’s unlikely to buffer or lag, on 10 or more devices
- Great for gaming – offers our top online and cloud-based gaming experience, even when others are online
- Enjoy seamless, high-quality video calls, even while downloading files or when others are online
- Download a 10GB file within 4 minutes
- Upload a 1GB file within 4 minutes
What do typical evening speeds mean?
When you start looking at internet service providers and the plans and nbn speed tiers they offer, you will quickly notice that all nbn plans and nbn speed tiers include a typical busy period download speed, sometimes also called typical evening speeds. This is information about the typical speed of each nbn broadband plan in the busy evening period which is classified as 7 pm – 11 pm nightly. It’s an important fact to consider when you start looking at nbn speeds.
Information on typical busy period or typical evening speeds are provided by internet providers so you can see how an nbn service should perform at the times you are most likely to use the connection on your speed tier with actual speeds.
It also allows you to easily compare services and speed tiers between internet providers offering the best fast internet deals, so you can choose a speed tier and an nbn plan that suits you best. Whether it’s a standard plus evening speed, a premium evening speed or a standard speed, it’s important to understand the difference between the various speed tiers, how the internet speed will affect you and your household and what internet speed is right for you!
