Wireless home broadband might be the solution for you, as it runs on an entirely different network to NBN or cable connections. It runs on your provider’s 4G or 5G mobile networks, as well as through satellites, which might bring you to question – how fast can wireless broadband really be? Don’t worry, we’ve got the answers to your wireless broadband questions right here.
On this page:
What is home wireless broadband?
Home wireless broadband is a replacement for fixed line connections, taking the forms of phone/mobile network connections through SIM cards or through satellites. Like fixed line broadband, home wireless connections are meant to stay in the home; but unlike the very-similar mobile broadband, home wireless broadband isn’t intended for being used on the go.
Rather than being a convenient solution to an immediate problem, wireless broadband is intended to completely replace home connections, with bigger data packages.
Home wireless broadband is particularly useful if you are a renter, you frequently move, don’t like lock-in contracts, have a dodgy fixed line, or if you can’t access the NBN or ADSL.
How fast is wireless internet?
Home wireless broadband plans typically stay at speeds around 12Mbps, similar to Basic NBN 12, but just faster than Australian ADSL speeds.
Home wireless broadband speeds tend to stick around the 12Mbps mark across the board, similar to what you can achieve with basic NBN plans, yet faster than average ADSL speeds. This is a great speed for basic streaming, browsing and social media use, but you’ll find severe lag when multiple people use it at once.
Test your wireless internet speed
Got a show or movie lined up but aren’t sure if your internet can handle it? Test your internet speed below!
Home wireless internet speeds explained
Typically, you’ll find home wireless broadband delivers download speeds of 12Mbps on a 4G connection, faster than Australian ADSL connections, similar to NBN Basic 12 plans offered with wired NBN connections. Speeds can vary between 20Mbps and 100Mbps. On a 5G connection, you could get speeds up to 1Gbps, but only some areas in Australia currently have 5G access.
The typical home wireless broadband speed is somewhere between having the basic NBN package and a good ADSL connection. This is great if you want to do some basic streaming or browsing, but you may find some lag if you’ve got multiple devices using the internet at once. All this being said, it’s certainly a consideration to get wireless broadband if you live in an area lacking NBN.
However, it also greatly depends on the technology that you’re using to get online, along with the coverage of the area that you live in. The speeds of each provider’s network will also be different, varying depending on the type of device you use to connect.
- Telstra’s 4GX network can reach speeds up to 300Mbps with premium modems and hotspots. Slower 4GX-capable devices reach downloads speeds of between 2-75Mbps, and standard 4G devices offer up to 50Mbps. 5G plans offer average speeds of 378Mbps during peak traffic times.
- Optus customers can expect speeds up to 100Mbps on the 4G Plus network, although results may vary (Optus caps this speed on its unlimited 4G home wireless plans to 25Mbps download speed). On 5G home internet plans, typical busy hour speeds clock in at 210Mbps.
- Vodafone hasn’t revealed its exact speeds, but 4G customers on their network can theoretically expect downloads up to 100Mbps, with the average under 50Mbps.
Remember: these speeds are fine for casual use, such as social media use, browsing and video streaming. For anything requiring big downloads, consider a high-end NBN plan, such as those at the Standard Plus NBN 50 tier or the Premium NBN 100 tier.
Be aware!
Some providers might throttle your download speed. Exetel caps wireless internet speeds at 12/1Mbps in metropolitan areas with 2300MHz 4G coverage, giving you speeds equal to the Basic 12 NBN speed tier, while Optus caps its home wireless broadband plans to 25Mbps download speeds, but with unlimited data.
What about 5G wireless broadband?
If you live in an area where 5G is available, you should certainly consider it before jumping on a standard wireless broadband plan, or even an NBN plan for that matter, what with promised speeds of 1Gbps!
Currently the only providers in the country to offer 5G wireless broadband are Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Internode and SpinTel. While theoretically you could reach that 1Gbps speed, realistically your peak-hour speeds are likely to sit at around 200-400Mbps on plans with no speed caps, and at up to 100Mbps on plans with speed restrictions (i.e. limited to 100Mbps or less).
If you do want a more portable option, you can sign up for 5G mobile broadband with Telstra or Optus in eligible areas.
The following table shows selected published 5G 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.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
5G Home Internet
min. cost $85 over one month |
1TB | $85 | |
 |
Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G
min. cost $675 over first month |
Unlimited | $99 | Link to provider unavailable |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
The following table shows selected published 5G 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.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
min. cost $59.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
 |
min. cost $59.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $59.99 | Go to Site |
 |
Ultimate 5G Home Broadband Plus
min. cost $65 over one month |
Unlimited | $65 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $64.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $64.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $69.99 over one month |
Unlimited | $69.99 | Go to Site |
|
min. cost $70 over one month |
Unlimited | $70 | Go to Site |
|
Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G
min. cost $655 over first month |
Unlimited | $79 | Link to provider unavailable |
 |
SpinTel 5G Unlimited
min. cost $89 over one month |
Unlimited | $89 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Home Wireless Internet Plans
We’ve put together a selection of several wireless broadband plans on the market right now. You’ll need to make sure the plan you go with has enough data for what you need it to do. If you do lots of video calling, streaming or gaming, consider a plan with a bigger data package. If you only need the internet for browsing, emails and work-related things, consider a lower-end plan.
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 | |||
What about mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband is portable alternative to home wireless, and also operates on 4G networks. If you’re considering mobile broadband as a home internet alternative, we’ve listed some plan picks below.
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 | |||
Image: RawPixel.com / Shutterstock
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