Telstra tops list of Australia’s fastest NBN providers

Fact Checked

Australia’s consumer watchdog has named Telstra as the current best-performing fixed-line NBN provider.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its quarterly Measuring Broadband Australia update, which analyses the average busy hour performance of the country’s major NBN providers. This real-world data is used to determine which telco offers the fastest and most consistent speeds from 7pm to 11pm, when the network is most congested.

Over the March 2025 testing period, the ACCC collected data on 11 popular providers across the full range of NBN speed tiers and fibre connections. Despite being outstripped by smaller providers in previous reports, Telstra took out the top spot, achieving an average of 104.6% of each plan’s maximum advertised download speeds in peak hours.

Fastest NBN download speeds

To compile the report, the ACCC calculates the average performance of each provider as a percentage of its plan’s maximum attainable speeds. The higher the percentage, the faster on average a telco performed. Note that due NBN Co’s over-provisioning of bandwidth in busy evening periods, it’s common for provider speeds to exceed 100%.

Telstra achieved the highest average download speeds across March, average at 104.6% of its maximum speed. In second place was last quarter’s winner Exetel, at 103.7%, with Optus rounding out the top three at 103.0%.

The full download speed results are:

1. Telstra: 104.6%
2. Exetel: 103.7%
3. Optus: 103.0%
4. Superloop: 102.8%
5. TPG: 102.0%
6. Leaptel: 101.8%
7. Dodo & iPrimus: 101.6%
8. Aussie Broadband: 101.1%
9. Vodafone: 99.3%
10. iiNet: 97.8%

Across all telcos, the average fixed-line download speed in busy hours was 101.6% of the maximum attainable speed. Providers met or exceeded their maximum download speeds in 78.2% of tests run in the peak evening period.

Fastest NBN speeds by state

Looking at speeds by state, Victorians have the best-performing busy hour services, at 102.9% of the maximum attainable download speed. Tasmania had the slowest average peak-hour performance at 96.1%.

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Unlimited Home Standard (NBN 50) Plans

The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 50 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost (excluding discounts), from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.

Unlimited Home Fast (NBN 100) Plans

The table below shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 100 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.

Fastest NBN plans for Netflix

The ACCC also tracks how well each NBN speed can support simultaneous Netflix streams, including high definition (HD) and ultra high definition (UHD) viewing. Tests are again performed during the 7pm-11pm peak period, and across NBN 25, NBN 50, NBN 100, NBN 250 and Fixed Wireless Plus (up to 100 megabits per second) plans.

NBN 250 plans can comfortably stream seven concurrent UHD videos, while NBN 100 can support five to six. NBN 25 is capable of one UHD stream, or five HD videos, while NBN 50 can support three UHD streams and seven in HD.

Starlink and fixed wireless speeds

In promising news for regional Australia, speeds on NBN Co’s fixed wireless services and Starlink satellite plans continue to improve. The ACCC found that Fixed Wireless Home Fast, Fixed Wireless Superfast and Starlink plans are consistently delivering download speeds above 100 megabits per second (Mbps) in busy evening hours.

In areas where fixed-line NBN isn’t available, customers are reliant on wireless or satellite home internet. NBN Co in particular has made recent strides to improve its wireless and Sky Muster satellite options in rural Australia, by increasing speeds and scrapping peak and off-peak data allowances on popular plans.

Fastest NBN upload speeds

While it’s natural to prioritise download speeds, upload performance is also crucial — particularly if you work from home, enjoy online gaming, or need to send large files regularly.

The ACCC found that Exetel delivered the fastest average upload performance during the evening peak period, at 91.8% of the maximum attainable speed. As with download averages, tests were performed on fixed-line NBN connections during March 2025.

The full upload speed results are:

1. Exetel: 91.8%
2. Telstra: 91.3%
3. Superloop: 90.6%
4. Dodo & iPrimus: 90.3%
5. Leaptel: 90.3%
6. Optus: 89.8%
7. Vodafone: 88.6%
8. Aussie Broadband: 88.4%
9. TPG: 87.7%
10. iiNet: 86.0%