If you’re looking for a replacement for your ADSL internet connection, and don’t want to go with the NBN, home wireless broadband might be the best solution for you. Home wireless broadband is a type of wireless internet that uses 4G and 3G signals (and 5G from some providers) to give you a WiFi connection in your home. It’s great for general browsing, streaming and working from home, as it uses the very same mobile networks that connect your phone to the internet.
One of the providers that offers home wireless is SpinTel, a lesser known ISP that also sells NBN, phone plans and mobile broadband. SpinTel’s home wireless broadband offerings include 4G and 5G coverage, both operating off the Optus networks and available on either a contract or month-to-month basis. But how does SpinTel compare to other wireless providers? Continue reading to find out.
How much does SpinTel home wireless broadband cost?
SpinTel offers both 4G and 5G home wireless broadband, but faster 5G network coverage does come with a higher monthly cost. 4G home wireless from SpinTel starts from $49.95 per month for 200GB of data, with the speed capped at a modest 12Mbps. Both month-to-month and one-year plans are available, but going for a 12-month contract will earn you a $100 account credit.
5G home wireless plans start at $70 per month for unlimited data on a 24-month contract. While 5G coverage means greater costs, you may feel that access to a faster network makes it money well spent.
SpinTel 4G Home Wireless Broadband
There are three 4G home wireless plans on offer from Spintel, all available on a month-to-month basis or on a 12-month contract, with each option free from setup fees. If you sign up on the 12 month contract, you’ll get a $100 credit, and you’ll have the option to buy a pre-configured modem outright or pay it off month-to-month (there is no option to bring your own). Plans are as follows:
- $49.95/mth for 200GB, speed capped at 12Mbps, minimum total cost $248.95 including modem
- $59.95/mth for 200GB, without any speed cap, minimum total cost $258.95 including modem
- $69.95/mth for 500GB, without any speed cap, minimum total cost $268.95 including modem
If you’re interested in any of these plans, see the table below.
Spintel Wireless Broadband Plans
The following table shows a selection of published Spintel 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.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
4G Unlimited
min. cost $54.95 over a one month plan period |
Unlimited | $54.95 | Link to provider unavailable |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
SpinTel 5G Home Wireless Broadband
SpinTel offers two 5G home wireless plans, depending on if you want a 24-month contract or a month-to-month deal. You’ll need to pick up a Nokia Fastmile modem either way, which is offered on a rental basis.
If you leave your contract early, you’ll need to return the modem as it’s the property of SpinTel. If you don’t return it, you’ll be charged the full retail value of $935. If 5G service goes down for some reason, or you can’t reach it, the modem will connect to a 4G signal. Standard plan prices are as follows:
- $60/mth for unlimited data on a 24 month contract, minimum cost $1,460 (includes postage)
- $70/mth for unlimited data on a month-to-month plan, minimum cost $90 (includes postage)
If you’re interested in any of these plans, see the table below.
Spintel Wireless Broadband Plans
The following table shows selected published Spintel 4G and 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spintel 4G Unlimited
min. cost $49.95 over first month |
Unlimited | $49.95 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Spintel 5G Unlimited 50Mbit
min. cost $59 over first month |
Unlimited | $59 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Spintel 5G Unlimited 100Mbit
min. cost $69 over first month |
Unlimited | $69 | Link to provider unavailable |
|
Spintel 5G Unlimited 225Mbit
min. cost $89 over first month |
Unlimited | $89 | Link to provider unavailable |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
What do you need for home wireless broadband?
To get home wireless broadband, all you’ll need is a capable modem, the provided SIM card, and a wall plug to power the device. Simply put the SIM card into the modem, power it up, and you should be good to go after connecting to the device. You’ll also need to be within signal of your 3G, 4G or 5G connection. Home wireless broadband isn’t intended to be portable in the same way mobile broadband is, however you can still take it anywhere there’s a signal, provided there’s a wall to plug the device into.
Home wireless broadband models on offer from SpinTel. From left to right: The NetComm NL1901ACV, Huawei B818, Netgear AC800S and Nokia FastMile
What network does SpinTel home wireless use?
SpinTel uses Optus networks to deliver its 4G and 5G home wireless services. Like all the other small telcos in Australia, SpinTel doesn’t have its own network, and has to use the coverage provided by Optus, although other service providers might use networks offered by Telstra and Vodafone. Smaller telcos might not get the full coverage of the network, but it should be fine for home wireless speeds.
How fast is SpinTel home wireless broadband?
On SpinTel’s 4G home wireless plans, you can expect download speeds of around 12Mbps, similar to basic NBN 12 speeds, although real-world results will vary. It’s fairly common to see 4G download speeds reach up to 30Mbps+.
On SpinTel’s 5G plans, the telco says the average download speed is 147Mbps, although results may vary and coverage is limited to certain suburbs.
If you’ve got a phone that operates on the Optus network, consider running a speed test before signing up to Optus network home wireless, as this will be the best metric for you to base your home wireless broadband speed on. They use the same network, so the results will likely be the same.
SpinTel Home Wireless Plans Compared
If you’re shopping around for a home wireless broadband plan, there’s a lot of providers worth comparing. See below for a range of plans from different providers.
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 | |||
SpinTel Home Wireless vs NBN
In addition to home wireless, SpinTel also offers NBN plans for those who prefer the idea of a fixed-line internet connection. Plans start at $49.95 per month for a 100GB data-capped plan, effectively starting at a cheaper price than home wireless. The plans are all month-to-month, and you can bring your own modem. If you’d like to compare the two choices, see the table below.
The following table shows a selection of SpinTel plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, 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.
Why should I get a SpinTel home wireless plan?
The main selling point of SpinTel home wireless broadband is that you’ll get 5G network coverage at a very reasonable price. What’s more, you can get it without any long-term commitment on a month-to-month plan, so if it doesn’t work out as well as you’d like, you can simply switch to a different provider. You’ll also get some flexibility with SpinTel’s 4G wireless plans, though it’s potentially worth signing up for 12 months to get the best value.
No matter which plan you go with, you’ll need to pick up a modem at the checkout, which adds to the overall upfront cost. This makes choosing plans pretty simple, and on 4G plans you get the option to buy the modem outright, which gives you the flexibility of taking it to another plan later on.
Ultimately, SpinTel provides a compelling proposition for home wireless broadband, whether you can’t get NBN coverage at your home, or you simply want an alternative to a fixed-line connection. If your suburb already has 5G coverage, home wireless with SpinTel may even deliver faster download speeds than you’d normally access with NBN, so it’s definitely worth considering now and in the future.
SpinTel home wireless key takeouts:
- One of very few providers to offer 5G home wireless
- Prices start from $49.95 per month on 4G plans, and $70 per month for 5G
- Data on 4G plans starts at 200GB, but with 5G is unlimited
- Offers wide variety with contract and month-to-month payment terms
- Uses the Optus 4G Plus Network and Optus 5G network
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