Thankfully, there is still remote internet access in Australia, no matter your internet usage needs. In this guide, we take a look at your options for internet while travelling Australia.
The best internet for travelling Australia
Travelling across Australia doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice an internet connection. There are several different options available and finding the best internet for travelling Australia will depend on which of these options suit your needs:
- A mobile broadband plan
- Starlink internet
- Postpaid or prepaid phone plan with plenty of data and/or data banking
- A home wireless broadband plan (provided you have mains power)
- Choosing accommodation with an internet connection available
The above options may be the most reliable choices for remote internet access in Australia. However, not all of these travel internet types will suit your needs, and many of them rely on good mobile network coverage. If you’re unsure if coverage is available, check your chosen provider’s website for more information.
Best internet for travelling Australia: Mobile broadband
Mobile broadband is probably the best and most reliable form of internet while travelling Australia. It uses a 4G or 5G mobile network, just like mobile phone plans, to connect you to the internet.
These plans can come in the form of a data-only SIM card, which you can put in a tablet device like iPad, or even your smartphone. Other mobile broadband plans will include the data-only SIM card and a portable modem or dongles as part of your plan. You can typically connect your devices to the portable modem’s WiFi network, whereas a dongle may not have the WiFi network and only offer internet access to the device you plug it into, such as a laptop.
Choosing which mobile broadband plan will suit you best depends on which devices, and how many of them, will need to access the internet. It’s also worth noting that mobile broadband or data-only plans typically come with smaller data inclusions and may have an expiry period, much like a prepaid phone plan.
Telstra Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Telstra mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Small
min. cost $25 over one month |
30GB | $25 | |
|
Medium
min. cost $58 over one month |
75GB | $58 | |
|
Large
min. cost $90 over one month |
400GB | $90 | |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Vodafone Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Vodafone mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Small Data SIM Only Plan
min. cost $20 over first month |
30GB | $20 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Large Data SIM Only Plan
min. cost $40 over first month |
70GB | $40 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Amaysim Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Amaysim mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Sim Only 7GB
min. cost $15 over 28 day billing period |
7GB | $15 | |
|
Sim Only 50GB
min. cost $40 over 28 day billing period |
50GB | $40 | |
|
Sim Only 90GB
min. cost $60 over 28 day billing period |
90GB | $60 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Southern Phone Mobile Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Southern Phone mobile broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Extra Small
min. cost $180 over 12 month plan period |
7GB | $15 | |
|
Small
min. cost $300 over 12 month plan period |
15GB | $25 | |
|
Medium
min. cost $480 over 12 month plan period |
50GB | $40 | |
|
Large
min. cost $780 over 12 month plan period |
100GB | $65 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Best internet for travelling Australia: Starlink Australia
Starlink has only been an internet option for Australians since 2021, however, its use of satellite technology makes it a good option for remote internet access in Australia — and one of the best internet for travelling Australia options. While Starlink is typically fixed to your home, there is a more portable version of Starlink for RVs. Keep in mind that Starlink can be rather expensive and may need to be installed to your RV, rather than the easier to set up portable modems used for mobile broadband.
Big data phone plans for travelling
A relatively simple solution could be to upgrade your phone plan’s data inclusions and use a mobile hotspot to connect your devices. While Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all offer ‘unlimited’ data on postpaid mobile plans in addition to a monthly high-speed data allowance, this ‘unlimited’ or endless data is going to be speed-capped and might not be available to use with a hot spot.
That’s where a phone plan with a big data allowance could come in handy. There are plenty of prepaid and postpaid phone plans with big data inclusions to choose from. However, keep in mind that some prepaid plans with 100GB of data or more, could be a long-expiry plan. These plans usually cost a lot upfront and the large data allowance is meant for use over a six month, 12 month or 365-day expiry period.
The following table shows a selection of SIM-only postpaid plans with a minimum of 40GB data on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our tool for simple mobile phone plan comparison to easily compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
The following table shows a selection of SIM-only prepaid plans with a minimum of 40GB data on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our tool for simple mobile phone plan comparison to easily compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
Home wireless broadband plans for internet while travelling Australia
Home wireless broadband, sometimes called 4G home internet or 5G home internet, can be another option for internet while travelling Australia. It operates similar to mobile broadband in that is uses a 4G or 5G mobile network for internet access. However it isn’t portable like mobile broadband and is designed as a home internet solution, where the modem will need to be connected to a power source. These plans will also most likely have large or unlimited data inclusions.
While it is not the best internet for travelling Australia, if you’re in a situation where you can plug the modem into a powerpoint — such as a holiday home, a caravan with mains power, or taking a generator with you — and you have high internet usage needs, it could still work as internet for travellers in Australia.
iiNet Wireless Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published iiNet home wireless broadband plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Home Wireless Broadband Liimitless Plan
min. cost $59.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
| View all internet plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
TPG Wireless Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published TPG home wireless broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Home Wireless Broadband Unlimited Plan
min. cost $54.99 over first month |
Unlimited | $54.99 | Go to Site |
| View all internet plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Optus 4G Home Internet Plans
The following table shows a selection of Optus 4G Home Internet plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
4G Home Internet Unlimited (24 Month)
min. cost $1,357 over 24 month plan period |
Unlimited | $59 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
4G Home Internet Unlimited (Month-to-Month)
min. cost $275 (incl. $216 modem cost) over first month plan period |
Unlimited | $59 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all internet plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Vodafone 4G Home Internet Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Vodafone 4G home broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4G Home Internet Plan
min. cost $240 over first month |
Unlimited | $60 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all internet plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Southern Phone Wireless Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Southern Phone wireless broadband plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Home Wireless Unlimited M2M
min. cost $270 over first month plan period |
Unlimited | $60 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Home Wireless Unlimited 24M
min. cost $1,440 over 24 month plan period |
Unlimited | $60 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all internet plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Find accommodation that offers internet access
The last option — which may be the easiest way of getting online — is finding accommodation that provides its own internet, typically through a WiFi signal. There’s no guarantee that your campsite, holiday park or other accomodation site will have an internet connection available; there’s also no guarantee that your connection will be all that fast or reliable. However, if reliable internet access is essential for your travels, you may want to choose your accommodation sites specifically with this in mind.
How do I choose the best internet for travelling Australia?
Deciding which option listed above will be the best for remote internet access in Australia, will largely depend on your internet needs and how you’re travelling.
For example, if you’re travelling with other people, having something you can all use, such as a mobile broadband plan and portable modem or Starlink connected to an RV, will allow more people to connect to the network, compared to using your mobile phone’s hotspot or a single dongle for your laptop.
The type of accommodation will also make a difference. If you’re staying in a holiday home or other accommodation with access to powerpoints, home wireless broadband could work well if you have high internet usage needs. However, for camping, mobile broadband will be a better option.
Of course, no matter which internet type you choose, you’ll need to check network coverage of the areas you’re travelling to, to ensure you’ll have internet access.
How do I use my internet while I’m travelling?
Whatever broadband type you opt for, you can connect through your device or computer’s internet or network settings, just as you would for home WiFi. Before you do this though, check the following:
- For home wireless broadband plans, make sure your modem is plugged in, and you have the required password.
- For WiFi available in your accommodation, make sure you check costs, data allowances, and get the required information such as passwords and terms and conditions.
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