Tara Donnelly

Tara Donnelly is Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, leading the team that focuses on energy, telecommunications and consumer technology. She has spent more than a decade covering these topics in Australia, the US and Canada, and has authored over 500 Canstar Blue articles. Her expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC , The Australian Financial Review, 4BC Radio and The Sydney Morning Herald. Tara has been nominated for multiple awards for her technology reporting, including Canstar Blue’s highly commended recognition for Best Consumer Technology Coverage in 2024. She has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canberra and is passionate about simplifying complex subjects so consumers aren’t just informed, they’re connected and confident. You can read more of Tara's published articles and follow Tara on LinkedIn.


Woman upset at internet outage

How to check for NBN outages in Australia

Posted by March 5th 2025

Key points NBN outages are often due to faults in the network, such as the local node or the wiring to your home. You can check for current NBN outages on your provider’s website or …



What is mobile broadband? Girl using tablet at home

What is mobile broadband?

Posted by February 28th 2025

Key points Mobile broadband is a type of wireless internet that uses the same 4G and 5G mobile networks as your smartphone. Mobile broadband can be delivered via a data-only SIM card, USB dongles, portable …


Young couple using laptop and celebrating. Refer a friend internet

Refer-a-friend deals on NBN plans

Posted by February 27th 2025

Key points A refer-a-friend deal is a discount, credit or other bonus a customer may receive for referring someone to their NBN provider. These deals usually require a new customer to use a special code …


Phone plans with Netflix. Phone showing Netflix logo

Phone plans with Netflix

Posted by July 24th 2025

Key points Telcos occasionally offer free or discounted streaming services, including Netflix as a mobile plan perk for new customers.  Customers can also get discounted Netflix streaming through Optus’ SubHub subscription platform. Some of the …


SIM card types

SIM card sizes and types explained

Posted by February 11th 2025

The details of phone plans can be confusing, particularly finding the right SIM card to fit into your phone. We explain the different types of SIM cards.


Young woman holding tablet and coffee

Home wireless broadband vs mobile broadband

Posted by February 4th 2025

Mobile broadband vs home wireless: the key points Home wireless and mobile broadband both use mobile networks to connect you to the internet.  Home wireless requires a modem that needs to be plugged into a …




Closeup of man configuring modem. Modem setup guide

How to configure a modem for WiFi

Posted by February 26th 2025

KEY POINTS To configure your modem you can try to connect it to your NBN service, enter the gateway IP address in your browser and login with the provided credentials. Make sure your modem is …