Canstar Blue’s annual review of internet bundles compares Vodafone, iiNet, Optus, Telstra, Dodo, Aussie Broadband and Foxtel on their speed & reliability, customer service, value for money, ease of set-up, bill and cost clarity, entertainment inclusions and overall satisfaction. These ratings are based on a survey of more than 2,500 Aussie consumers.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Vodafone continues to make a big impression in the NBN space, again rated best of the bunch in our review of bundled internet and entertainment providers. It achieved five stars across all categories, include overall satisfaction, value for money, entertainment inclusions and customer service.
Until recent years, the idea of an internet bundle meant simply adding a home phone line to your broadband plan. But with landline use declining, and many of us switching solely to mobile for voice calling, internet-and-phone packages are less prevalent.
Nowadays, bundles encompass more than just home phone calls – have you considered bundling in an entertainment pack with your internet? Many service providers now offer streaming or pay TV bundles, meaning you can get internet, a phone line and entertainment all in one neat package (even if you don’t actually use your home phone anymore!).
In fact, entertainment add-ons have become one of the biggest points of difference when comparing internet plans. But before you dive into the deep rabbit hole of internet providers, consider our 2021 customer review and ratings for internet bundles as a good starting point. Ultimately, the key is to find a plan that best suits your needs – at a price you’re happy to pay – from a provider that makes life as easy as possible, with reliable performance and great customer service. So, who comes out on top for internet bundles that include an entertainment add-on?
Our latest review has seen more than 2,500 paying internet customers provide their feedback on their provider of choice, with the biggest telcos in the business compared. The idea is to give you as much information as possible, so you can make an informed decision about your next provider. You’ll want awesome and reliable internet, but also the convenience of on-demand entertainment. So which provider do Aussies rate best for all-in-one broadband and binge watching?
Canstar Blue’s 2021 review of internet providers with entertainment bundles saw these seven brands rated in the following order for overall satisfaction:
For the third consecutive year, Vodafone was rated Australia’s nest broadband bundle provider, achieving a five-star rating for overall satisfaction. Impressively, Vodafone scored top marks across all seven categories, taking out five stars for speed and reliability, customer service, value for money, ease of setup, entertainment and inclusions and for bill and cost clarity – a massive achievement considering the telco has recently discontinued its popular Vodafone TV add-on.
iiNet, Aussie Broadband, and Dodo each received four stars for overall satisfaction in our 2021 review, while household names Optus, Telstra and Foxtel each achieved three stars.
Those surveyed had any type of broadband connection – ADSL, cable or NBN – along with some form of internet and entertainment deal. Entertainment features can vary significantly between providers, from a basic Fetch TV inclusion, to the provider’s own streaming device, and various sports and movie packs. Read on for a guide to the internet bundles offered by the providers compared.
The following table shows a selection of sponsored unlimited data Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50) and Premium Event Speed (NBN100) plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners.
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $60.00) Standard Plus Evening Speed
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Unlimited Data/month |
$65.00 Cost/month |
Go to site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $179.94) Standard Plus Evening Speed
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Unlimited Data/month |
$69.99 Cost/month |
Go to site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $184.94) Standard Plus Evening Speed
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Unlimited Data/month |
$74.99 Cost/month |
Go to site |
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited Standard Plus Evening Speed (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.
The table below shows a selection of published unlimited Premium Evening Speed (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.
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited data NBN 50 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost, from the lowest to highest. All of these plans include entertainment options such as Fetch TV, or offer these services as an optional add-on. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Taking out our award for bundled NBN and entertainment for the third year in a row, Vodafone previously offered customers the option to add Android-powered Vodafone TV to their NBN plans. While this now isn’t available to new customers, Vodafone users who have already bought their Vodafone TV set top box can continue to use the device to stream content through separate subscriptions.
Outside of Vodafone TV, customers can also add Netflix to their Vodafone bill and bundle the service with their NBN plan. Vodafone has also offered streaming-related bonuses on broadband plans, such as free Amazon Prime streaming.
Alongside entertainment, all Vodafone NBN Plans feature unlimited data and are contract-free, and customers who remain connected for 36 months will receive a free Vodafone Wi-Fi hub with 4G backup (normally $180). Plans begin at $75 per month for NBN alone, or from $60 for customers with a Vodafone phone plan.
Vodafone scored a perfect rating in our 2021 report, achieving five stars across every category. Impressively, the provider was the only included telco this year to receive a five-star rating in multiple categories, including overall satisfaction, speed and reliability, customer service, ease of setup, and entertainment inclusions.
iiNet has been a familiar face in our ratings for many years now, known for being the ‘go-to’ alternative to the big guys. The telco’s easy-to-add Fetch options make it a popular option for entertainment bundles, with NBN plans beginning at $69.99 per month for unlimited data.
iiNet’s six-month NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans include optional Fetch TV packs, featuring a set top box and 30 free pre-selected movies each month. This offer is available for $0 per month, but does incur a $59.99 setup fee. Month-to-month customers can add Fetch from $5 per month, plus a $59.99 setup fee, and premium channel packs are available from an extra $6 monthly.
iiNet achieved an overall satisfaction score of four stars in 2021, plus a five-star result for value for money and four stars for speed and reliability, customer service, ease of setup and bill and cost clarity.
Aussie Broadband is another NBN provider offering optional Fetch TV packages with unlimited data plans. The Fetch Mini set-top box is available pre-bundled into four Aussie Broadband entertainment plans, priced from $79 per month for unlimited data at NBN 25 speeds.
Customers can add a Fetch Mini to any plan from $10 per month, or a Fetch Mighty from $15. Channel packs are available from just $6 per month, or $20 for the Ultimate Pack with all available channels. All of Aussie Broadband’s NBN plans are contract-free, so if you do cancel your plan you’ll need to return your Fetch TV set-top box, or pay $135 for the Mini or $300 for the Fetch Mighty.
Aussie Broadband performed well in our 2021 review, scoring four stars for overall satisfaction and in almost all other categories besides speed and reliability.
Dodo’s streamlined plans offer unlimited data from $65 per month for NBN customers, with NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100 speeds available. While customers could previously add a Fetch TV package to their account, this has recently been removed as an option for new sign-ups, so ratings are based on the experiences of respondents with existing Dodo/Fetch bundles.
Dodo achieved an overall satisfaction score of four stars in our 2021 review, with five-star scores for speed and reliability, customer service, value for money, and entertainment inclusions.
Internet giant Optus is a go-to entertainment option for football fans, offering exclusive access to national and international matches via Optus Sport + OS Fitness – not to mention the English Premier League (EPL). This feature is available as a free inclusion on all NBN and 5G broadband plans, including Optus’ base $79 Internet Everyday, the $79 Internet Gamer and $89 Family Internet Ultimate plans, all with unlimited data.
All plans feature NBN 50 speeds, with upgrade to NBN 100/20 available for an extra $20 per month. If you’d like more entertainment, you can add Fetch TV to your plan as an optional extra: Fetch Mini is available from $10 per month, while Fetch Mighty is priced from $15. Customers can also add premium channel packs from $6 per month.
If you’re looking for a gaming bundle, the Internet Gamer plan is available on NBN 50 and 100 speeds, includes unlimited data plus gaming extras such as Game Path (first three months free) and an included ASUS Gaming modem.
Optus achieved three stars for overall satisfaction and four stars for value for money, entertainment inclusions and for bill and cost clarity.
Telstra’s broadband plans offer plenty of optional entertainment, but no longer include the telco’s Telstra TV streaming device as standard. Telstra TV can be added to plans from an additional $9 per month and offers easy streaming from Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now, and more, plus catch up TV and on-demand movies and shows via Telstra TV Box Office.
Telstra TV can be bundled in with unlimited data plans from a total of $99 per month for both your broadband and set top box. Telstra customers can add Foxtel pay TV packages to their plan, including sports and movies packages, as well as bundle-in XBox consoles via the XBox All Access plan. Kayo Sports is also available to add to your Telstra account from $15 per month, as well as BINGE from $14 monthly.
Telstra’s range of entertainment options saw the telco achieve an overall rating of three stars in 2021, with four stars for speed and reliability, ease of setup, entertainment inclusions and bill and cost clarity.
Long-time pay TV provider Foxtel now also offers home broadband plans, all of which are available to bundle with Foxtel entertainment packs. From $124 per month, customers get access to unlimited data on the NBN 50 speed tier, unlimited standard local and national calls, plus a Foxtel Plus pack with over 50 channels.
There are multiple bundles available, including NBN Broadband + Movies ($144 per month), Broadband + Sport ($149 per month), Broadband + Premium ($164 per month) and Broadband + Platinum Plus including Netflix ($204 per month). All plans are offered on a 12-month or 24-month basis, with discounted rates often available for new customers and equipment fees often waived.
Despite offering a large range of entertainment bundles, Foxtel ranked last in this year’s review, scoring an overall three stars for satisfaction but receiving four stars for entertainment inclusions and ease of setup.
Finding the best internet bundle for your needs will come down to what type of entertainment pack you’re interested in – be it sports, new movies, the latest TV shows, or all of the above. Here is a quick guide to the different types of internet bundles you’ll find with internet plans in Australia.
Sports fans can stream dozens of live and on-demand matches via Kayo Sports, which is available through Telstra TV (or to watch anytime through your smart TV, device, or laptop browser). If you’re a soccer/football follower, Optus Sport is your go-to service, and is available free on selected broadband plans.
For fans of the Fox Sports network, Foxtel is your best option. You can add a pay TV sports package to your plan through Telstra, or bundle both broadband and entertainment from Foxtel directly.
Recommended providers for sports:
If your plan comes with a streaming device, such as Telstra TV, Vodafone TV or Fetch, you’ll be able to easily stream on-demand TV shows through Netflix, Stan, Foxtel Now, and more, depending on your specific device. Most streaming services such as Netflix require separate subscriptions, with prices beginning at around $9.99 per month.
You can also watch new-release TV via Foxtel, which is available to add to both Foxtel Broadband and Telstra. TV shows can also be viewed through channel packs available from Fetch, with prices beginning at $6 per month for packages (if not already included in your plan). You can also use Fetch and similar services to watch free-to-air and catch-up TV.
If you’re looking for international channels, try TPG’s IPTV service, or go with specialist NBN provider Flip (which offers a huge variety of multicultural TV packages).
Recommended providers for TV shows:
Aside from Foxtel, your best source of on-demand movies is Netflix or Stan (available to stream via Telstra TV, Vodafone TV, and Fetch), or through Telstra TV Box Office. If new release movies are the priority in your household, bundles that include streaming devices are the cheapest and easiest option.
Recommended providers for movies:
Looking to keep the kids occupied on weekends and school holidays? Foxtel offers a great selection of kids-only pay TV channels, including Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and the Disney Channel. Kid-safe viewing options are available from services such as Netflix and Stan (the latter of which currently has exclusive rights to much of Disney’s catalogue), both of which can be streamed via Fetch, Telstra, TV, or Vodafone TV.
Fetch’s premium Kids Pack is available to add to Fetch-friendly plans from $6 per month, and includes many of the channels you’ll find on Foxtel (such as Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney).
Recommended providers for kids’ TV shows:
ADSL connections use the traditional copper telephone lines to provide internet access, so bundling the two services together not only makes sense, but it can also prove to be pretty economical. Cable is basically the same type of deal, but if your home is connected to a cable service then you’ll be using high-speed fibre optic and slightly slower coaxial cables to get both internet and home phone lines.
However, the main caveat is that these plans often do not include any call packs. Instead you just ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG). While this is a great option for those mainly just using their mobile phones, the costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re paying 20c a minute or more for a call!
So, if you want an ‘all inclusive’ home phone internet bundle, you can expect to pay anywhere from an extra $10-$30+ per month on top of your basic internet plan, which can certainly add up.
NBN bundled plans could be considered more interesting than their ADSL or cable counterparts. This is because NBN plans often come with the choice of either a VoIP calling service or the NBN phone.
As for how you actually make a home phone call with an NBN connection, there are two methods as mentioned earlier – NBN phone and VoIP. Between the two, the difference lies in the detail:
Don’t fret though, because often this is all taken care of by your bundled NBN provider, with some even offering both types of calling service.
Like with ADSL and cable bundled plans, entry costs for these plans generally don’t include any VoIP or NBN phone call packs. This means that you’ll usually have to front up for an extra $10 or so per month, but this usually gets you unlimited national calls to landlines and mobiles. International call packs are an additional cost and can add anywhere up to $30 or more to your total bundle cost. Overall, in terms of bundling charges, customers are no worse or better off than their ADSL or cable counterparts, which is ultimately a good thing.
Whether you’re on an NBN, ADSL or cable bundled plan, it pays to know what you’re after and what to look for, keeping in mind that all those extras are going to cost you extra.
This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Telco Editor, Tara Donnelly. Having spent around a decade writing for and editing telco comparison websites, she’s an expert in all things phone & internet, including internet bundles and how to find the best deal for your family. She loves to highlight the next best internet deals, while flagging the things you need to be aware of. Tara also acts as a spokesperson for Canstar Blue.
Canstar Blue surveyed 12,316 Australian adults 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 bundled internet and entertainment plan in their name and they pay the bills – in this case, 2,510 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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