If you’re just after a cheap, no-frills broadband plan, have you considered getting naked? Put that shirt back on! We mean naked DSL broadband. Naked DSL basically means that you get the broadband, without the unnecessary filler like home phone plans and pesky line rental. Naked DSL internet gives you the full service of home broadband without the extra cost of a phone line – potentially delivering you significant savings if it’s a service you seldom use in this digital age when most people own smartphones. Compare some of the top naked internet plans below.
What is Naked DSL?
If you’ve not heard the term before, a ‘naked DSL’ internet plan is simply a broadband internet subscription with no home phone service and no home phone line rental. This is in contrast to ‘bundled’ plans, which will include broadband internet & home phone line rental in one subscription. This means that naked broadband plans are usually cheaper than their bundled counterparts if the regular ADSL plan does not already include home phone calls or home phone line rental.
- Naked DSL is suitable for renters, young people, or simply those who don’t need a home phone connection anymore.
In a modern world where mobile phones now reign supreme and there are cheap unlimited mobile phone plans on offer, the previously venerable home phone landline is going more or less unused for many Aussie households.
What are the cheapest naked DSL plans?
There aren’t many providers offering naked DSL plans anymore, so you’ll have limited options to choose from. Over the years, more providers have discontinued offering naked DSL plans with iiNet the only provider still offering these plans.
iiNet Naked Broadband Plans
Customer favourite iiNet currently offers three Naked DSL broadband plans, all of which include the telco’s ‘Netphone’ VoIP service and come on either a month to month or 24 month basis (the latter includes a Wi-Fi modem).
- The cheapest plan provides 500GB for $59.99 per month, with PAYG phone calls.
- If that much data isn’t enough for you, you can go for the Liimitless plan, which provides unlimited data for $69.99 per month.
- The final option is the Liimitless plan with unlimited calls to both landlines and mobiles, which costs $10 more at $79.99 per month.
These plans also provide the option of a VoIP international pack available for $10 extra per month, which includes calls to landlines in iiNet’s top 20 international destinations. Considering iiNet’s ADSL plans include line rental as standard anyway, customers don’t stand to receive anything special with these naked DSL plans. However, if you’re after phone calls over internet rather than copper phone line, these may be a good bet.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $1,759.71 over 24 month billing period |
Unlimited | $69.99 | Go To Site |
|
Liimitless Naked with Home Phone Calls
min. cost $1,999.71 over 24 month billing period |
Unlimited | $79.99 | Go To Site |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
What is VoIP?
VoIP is a group of technologies which allows you to make voice calls over the internet rather than over a telephone network. In the same way that a traditional landline phone transmits your voice as a series of analogue electrical signals, VoIP transmits your voice call digitally as a stream of data. Commercial VoIP services have existed for over a decade – you’re probably familiar with Skype or Viber, for example.
Whilst earlier services only allowed you to call people who used the same service, these days service providers will supply you with a VoIP phone service and let you make calls to just about anyone.
- Many naked DSL broadband plans now include a VoIP phone and handset which you simply plug into your router. There are a range of free and paid VoIP services.
- VoIP basically means customers aren’t using a copper line to make calls, and traditional home phone line rental can cost upwards of $30 a month on top of your existing broadband plan. If moving to VoIP, many users can save money on line rental.
Whilst naked broadband plans don’t include the use of a copper phone line, most service providers will still provide you with a home phone which uses VoIP. It’s a great alternative in this digital world where many households don’t even rely on a landline anymore.
Should I choose Naked DSL or regular ADSL?
For consumers who have little use for a home phone line, naked broadband may well be a viable internet alternative, although you won’t have much choice for plans. With the option of additionally employing a VoIP service provided by a service provider, users can still maintain a home phone line number while potentially avoiding some of the extra charges of a traditional phone line.
- As with other broadband plans, you should shop around for the best deal for you, and be aware of the finer details of each plan. While greater value is generally provided by long-term plans, you should also bear in mind the extra costs that may be arise by straying from the contract or moving house.
- It’s also important to weigh up the extra upfront costs of naked DSL, versus the ongoing costs of an ADSL2+ plan with things like line rental and lock-in contracts.
- Home phone line rental can easily cost an extra $30 a month on top of your plan but is included with many providers nowadays.
So take these into consideration the next time you’re in the hunt for a new internet plan.
Is Naked DSL good value?
Apart from the above factors, there are a few key considerations to take on board if thinking about signing up to a naked DSL plan. The main considerations are below:
- The cost of a modem, and whether one is included with a plan, and the compatibility of the hardware you already own with the service you have in mind.
- For plans containing peak and off-peak hours, consider when you are likely to spend the most time on the internet, and whether the combination of hours will provide value.
- How much data you are likely to use. While the plans looked at here are geared towards less data-heavy users, there are also a number of naked broadband options for more data-heavy users.
There’s a plethora of value-packed naked broadband plans on the market, with basic connections starting at less than $50 per month in many cases. The number of competing providers has resulted in consistently good deals for Aussie customers. Nevertheless, make sure you shop around to find the best deal for your needs. One thing’s for certain, however, there’s never been a better time to shop for a cheap naked broadband plan!
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