If the NBN has rolled out to your suburb, or is about to be, it may be time to hunt for a new NBN plan. Optus is one of the largest telcos in Australia and has a simple offering of basic NBN plans with options to add on home phone plans, speed boosts and bundles.
With prices beginning at $79 per month, Optus isn’t the cheapest provider out there, but it does offer plenty of flexibility and perks. So, how much is Optus NBN and what sort of value for money do you get? Here’s a run-down of everything you can expect from Optus NBN prices and what you can expect when it comes to inclusions and NBN speeds.
What does Optus offer?
Optus is a full-service provider, meaning it offers more than just broadband and NBN plans. Here’s what you can expect with Optus NBN:
- Unlimited Data: All NBN plans feature unlimited data.
- NBN Speeds: Standard Plus Evening Speed NBN 50 (Standard) and Premium Evening Speed NBN 100 (Fast) NBN plans are available. FTTP customers can access speed packs with NBN 250 (Superfast) and NBN 1000 (Ultrafast) speeds.
- Technology Types: Optus offers NBN across Fibre to the Premises, Fibre to the Node, Fibre to the Building, Fibre to the Curb, HFC, and fixed wireless connections (fixed wireless connections are no longer available to new customers).
- Entertainment: Get Optus Sport on all NBN plans. Optus Sport is the only legal way to watch all Premier League matches live, and is ordinarily worth an extra $14.99 per month. Optus Internet Family Entertainer plans also include a standard Netflix subscription, and Optus’ SubHub feature allows customers to bundle subscriptions such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, BritBox and Kindle on one account.
- Modems: Get a premium WiFi modem on all Optus NBN plans, capable of gigabit speeds. The Internet Gamer plan comes with an ASUS Gaming Modem.
- Call Packs: Phone line service is optional on NBN plans, with calls PAYG unless you add on a $10 call pack with unlimited standard national calls to Australian mobiles and landlines.
- No contracts: All Optus NBN plans are contract-free and available on a month-to-month basis, with no setup fees. You may be required to pay for the included modem if you cancel your plan within 36 months.
Optus NBN speeds: at a glance
Below are the typical evening speeds Optus lists for NBN speed tiers on fixed line networks (FttP, FttN, FttB, FttC, and HFC). Note that NBN 250 and NBN 1000 speed packs are only available to FTTP customers.
| Speed Tier | Max Download Speed | Optus’ Typical Evening Speed |
|---|---|---|
|
Internet Everyday (NBN 50) |
50Mbps |
50Mbps |
|
Internet Everyday and Premium Internet Speed (NBN 100) |
100Mbps |
100Mbps |
|
Internet Everyday and Home Superfast Speed (NBN 250) |
250Mbps |
215Mbps |
|
Internet Everyday and Home Ultrafast Speed (NBN 1000) |
1000Mbps |
250Mbps |
Speeds correct as of July 2021
Optus NBN Plans
When it comes to NBN plans, Optus keeps its NBN offering quite simple with a set of three plans — internet only or two different internet and entertainment bundles — and your choice between NBN 50 or NBN 100 speed tiers. Customers with FTTP connections may be eligible to add on super-fast NBN speed packs on NBN 250 and NBN 1000 speed tiers for an additional monthly cost.
The cheapest Optus NBN plan is the Internet Everyday plan with NBN 50 speeds at $79 per month. While pay-as-you-go (PAYG) phone calls are included, a Phone Everyday addon is available for an additional $10 per month, with unlimited standard national calls to landline and mobiles included. If you want a faster speed with your Internet Everyday plan, going up to NBN 100 will cost $99 per month, with the same optional $10 phone pack available. Both of these internet plans include a WiFi modem and access to Optus Sport and OS Fitness. You’ll also be able to add on Optus Game Path for an additional $10 per month. Customers on NBN 100 can upgrade their upload speed from 20Mbps to 40Mbps for an additional $30 per month.
If you’re fine with PAYG for your home phone, rates are 28c per minute plus 52c flagfall for mobiles and national lines, local calls 30c each, calls to 13/1300 numbers 35c each.
If you are able to add on a super-fast NBN speed pack, customers on the Internet Everyday plan with NBN 50 speeds can add on the Superfast (NBN 250) speed pack for an additional $55 per month, or the Ultrafast (NBN 1000) speed pack for an additional $75 per month. If you’re on the Internet Everyday plan with NBN 100 speeds, you can add on Superfast for an additional $35 per month, or Ultrafast for an additional $55 per month. This makes the total monthly cost $130 per month for NBN 250 speeds and $150 per month for NBN 1000 speeds.
The following table features a selection of Optus NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers.
Optus NBN bundle plans
Update 6/8/21: Optus’ Internet Gamer plans are currently unavailable. However, customers can still sign up for a standard Optus NBN plan, and add Game Path for $10 per month.
If you want a little more from your Optus NBN than just internet, there are a couple different bundle plans to choose from. The Internet Family Entertainer plan is an additional $20 per month ($99 per month for NBN 50 and $119 per month for NBN 100) and has all the same inclusions as the Internet Everyday plan, but that extra $10 gives you an Ultra WiFi Booster for improved WiFi throughout the home, plus Optus WiFi Secure, which adds a layer of security to your home internet. You’ll also get an included standard Netflix subscription which you can activate through SubHub.
If you’re a gamer, Optus offers the Internet Gamer NBN plan for $79 per month (or $99 for NBN 100), which includes an ASUS Gaming Modem, a Static IP and the Optus Game Path (free for the first three months, $10 per month thereafter). The ASUS Gaming Modem prioritises gaming traffic with bandwidth allocation, the Static IP makes online play with self-hosted servers easier, and the Game Path is a Windows 10 application that could reduce lag and ping spikes by finding the most optimal path to the video game server.
The following table features a selection of Optus NBN 50 and NBN 100 bundle plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a wider range of providers.
Optus NBN modem
New Optus NBN customers will receive an Optus Ultra WiFi Modem, which is available on all Optus NBN plans. This modem is not only NBN compatible, but it also has 4G backup, so if your NBN is down or you are experiencing an outage, the modem will automatically connect to the Optus 4G mobile network so you can keep using your internet. Keep in mind, these 4G backup speeds vary and are limited to 12Mbps download, so you might not be able to quite use your internet as you normally would. On the Internet Gamer plan, Optus offers the ASUS DSL-AX5400 Gaming Modem, which doesn’t come with a 4G backup.
While the Optus Ultra WiFi Modem is $252 in total, Optus will cover the cost of the modem, however cancelling your Optus NBN plan within 36 months of signing up, may require you to pay off the remaining modem cost. On the Gamer NBN plan, an ASUS Gaming Modem is available, with the modem costing $504 in total. The same rules apply for the gaming modem, as Optus won’t require you to pay for it if you stay signed up for 36 months, however, you’ll need to pay for it in total if you cancel your plan.
Optus NBN support
If you’re having problems with your Optus NBN plan, whether it’s an NBN outage or you just need some help, Optus has several contact options for customer support:
- Optus 24/7 live message support on the website and through the My Optus app
- Optus technical and customer service number: 133 937
- FAQ page addressing a range of questions, troubleshooting and issues
How does Optus NBN compare to other NBN providers?
Optus compares quite well with a slew of smaller providers all jostling for your attention. While Optus doesn’t offer the cheapest plans, its NBN plans tend to sit more in that mid to higher end of the pricing spectrum. If you’re looking for a cheaper NBN option, other providers worth keeping an eye out for include:
Arguably its biggest competitor is Telstra, which also has its own suite of broadband and entertainment plans, while providers like Internode and iiNet also offer optional add-on entertainment. All in all, Optus stays fairly competitive, but could be outdone by one or more of these providers based on the price at the time.
Other Internet Plans
The following table shows a selection of sponsored unlimited data Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50), and Premium Evening Speed (NBN 100) plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners.
 |
1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $79.99) Typical evening speed of 97Mbps
|
Unlimited Data/month |
$79.99 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
 |
1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $85) Typical evening speed of 50Mbps
|
Unlimited Data/month |
$85.00 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
 |
1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $99.99) Typical evening speed of 97Mbps
|
Unlimited Data/month |
$89.99 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
Unlimited Home Standard (NBN 50) Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited 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.
Unlimited Home Fast (NBN 100) Plans
The table below shows a selection of published unlimited 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.
Is an Optus NBN plan worth the money?
As one of the largest providers in Australia, Optus has cemented itself as one of the strongest NBN providers around. With plans starting at $79 per month, it is well-positioned to take on the bigger providers and compete with the smaller ones.
Keep in mind that in addition to monthly plan costs, there may be some additional costs such as speed boosts, phone packs and Game Path add-ons. If you’re after a great bundle, Optus does deliver with its selection of NBN bundles that offer extras. Perks like Game Path, Static IP, 4G backup modems and gaming modems may also be available from other providers.
As you move into faster NBN speed tiers, Optus may fall behind some of the smaller providers offering slightly cheaper prices. However, it’s not typically a massive monthly price gap, but for Aussies on a budget, the extra $5 or $10 here and there can make or break a plan, especially considering NBN 100 plans can start just under the $90 per month price mark.
Optus is also a good performer, speed-wise, as it has topped the ACCC NBN speed report multiple times throughout late 2019 and 2020. This means that compared to several other popular NBN providers, Optus was more likely to achieve its average peak speed. While it doesn’t mean Optus is the fastest NBN provider around, it does indicate a generally good performance on average.
The next time you’re shopping around, Optus is well worth a look into – especially if looking for internet and entertainment – but if you’re after the cheapest price, there may be other providers worth keeping an eye out for.
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