Canstar Blue’s annual review of business broadband providers has seen iiNet, Optus, TPG and Telstra compared on customer service, network performance, value for money, contract clarity, bill clarity & overall satisfaction.
See our Ratings Methodology.
For the sixth year in a row, iiNet has been rated highest by business internet customers. It leads the way in overall satisfaction, network performance, contract clarity and bill clarity.
In this century, businesses need an internet connection to survive. Whether it’s organising rosters, doing the pay run, emailing staff, operating point-of-sale systems, or whatever else, businesses in Australia can thrive with a solid broadband connection. As they say, a business is only as good as its communications, and having reliable and fast internet is a sure-fire way to keep communications flowing. If you and your business are unsatisfied with your internet provider, our 2019 review and ratings may be able to help.
Canstar Blue annually surveys hundreds of business owners and key decision-makers across Australia to find out which broadband providers are coming up trumps, and which are more like a bump in the road. In 2019, iiNet has made it SIX YEARS in a row at the top of our business internet ratings, earning five-star reviews for its customer service, network performance, contract clarity and bill clarity, with a creditable four stars on value for money.
Leading the way from its traditional rivals on business customer satisfaction for six years in a row is an incredible result for iiNet. While no broadband provider is perfect – and it seems reasonable to assume you’ll have the occasional issue with any telco – our ratings are designed as a high-level guide to which providers are getting it right more often than not, and which have work to do.
Canstar Blue’s 2019 review of business broadband providers saw four major telcos rated in the following order for overall satisfaction:
While iiNet maintained its place at the top of the standings for the sixth time, it wasn’t the only telco to achieve positive reviews in some areas, with TPG the only provider to earn five stars on value for money, in addition to its top marks on customer service. However, TPG had to settle for four stars overall, ahead of Optus and Telstra on three stars. It’s probably worth pointing out that iiNet and TPG are both owned by the same group in TPG Telecom, but appear to operate and compete independently.
Our ratings are based on the real-world experiences of business customers with any type of fixed-line internet connection, including NBN, ADSL, cable or fixed wireless. Read on for an overview of what the four telcos in our 2019 review have to offer business customers, as well as a list of other providers who market their services at businesses.
There are a diverse range of internet plans on offer for businesses big and small. Here is an overview of what the biggest internet providers in Australia have to offer your business.
iiNet’s small business broadband options include both NBN and ADSL2+ connections, with unlimited data and high-speed NBN plans available. Unlimited data plans begin at $79.99 per month for both basic NBN and ADSL customers, and include pay-as-you-go calling, a static IP address, and a free Wi-Fi modem on 24-month contracts.
If you’d like to add unlimited standard calls to Australian mobile and landline numbers, you can upgrade to an Ultimate iiNet plan, again for an additional $10 per month for both NBN and ADSL. International VoIP call packs are also available, and are priced at $10 each month for unlimited calls to iiNet’s top 20 international destinations.
Business customers can choose between signing up on a 24-month contract, or opting for a month-to-month plan. No lock-in plans do incur a $79.95 activation fee, plus an $89 charge if you include iiNet’s Wi-Fi modem.
Overall, iiNet’s priority support options, dependable network performance, and bill and contract clarity has seen the telco come out on top for the sixth year in a row. iiNet was rated five stars for overall satisfaction in our 2019 review, and in all categories except value for money (in which it achieved four stars).
TPG offers small business NBN plans from $69.99 per month at Basic NBN 12 speeds. NBN 50 and NBN 100 options are also available, and all include unlimited data and your choice of a month-to-month or 18-month contract.
TPG was rated four stars for overall satisfaction in 2019, and received five-star ratings for customer service and value for money.
Optus’ small business broadband is priced on par with its residential NBN and ADSL plans, with prices beginning from $85 per month for unlimited data. NBN plans include Standard Plus (NBN 50) speeds as standard, with a boost to Premium NBN 100 available for an additional $30 per month.
Optus achieved four stars for bill clarity and customer service in our 2019 review, and a three-star rating for overall satisfaction.
Small business broadband from Telstra begins at $80 per month for 500GB of data for both NBN and ADSL customers, with unlimited data beginning at $100 monthly. Plans are available on a 24-month basis, and new customers will receive a Smart Modem with mobile broadband backup.
Telstra was rated three stars for overall satisfaction in our 2019 review, plus four stars for both network performance and bill clarity.
If you’re looking for a broadband provider to service your business – whether it’s from home, the office, or anywhere in between – here is a list of telcos marketing services in your direction:
In case there was any doubt, our latest survey of business broadband customers has revealed the extent to which many are incredibly reliant on fast, reliable internet to operate efficiently.
So, many businesses are still experiencing challenges with their broadband connections. But what about those now on the NBN? Have they seen an improvement?
No business should have to put up with a subpar internet plan. Often, the internet is the lifeblood of a business, and having a lacklustre plan can be both frustrating and financially impairing. Unfortunately, only one provider in this year’s review was rated five stars in terms of network performance – that was iiNet.
For a good all-round package, iiNet was a clear winner for overall customer satisfaction – for the sixth year in a row. Once could be luck, but SIX YEARS on the spin is clearly a trend. Setting up a business is hard enough in the first place; don’t let internet cause you any unnecessary headaches. It pays to shop around, and maybe our 2019 ratings will help.
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This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Telco Editor, Tara Donnelly. Having spent more than seven years writing for and editing telco comparison websites, she’s an expert in all things phone & internet, including NBN plans and how to find the best deal for your family. She loves to highlight the next best NBN deals, while also flagging the things you need to be aware of. Tara also acts as a spokesperson for Canstar Blue.
Canstar Blue surveyed 837 Australian small to medium-sized business owners or key decision-makers (i.e. the key decision-maker for the business) across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who currently have a business broadband plan and the business pays the bills – in this case, 502 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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