Keep up to speed on the NBN

Joe Hanlon, WhistleOut

More than 50% of premises are now able to connect to the NBN and that number is growing every day, so here are a few points to keep in mind before you make the switch.

You have to get it. The introduction of the NBN means current internet services will be shut off, and the clock starts ticking once the NBN is installed in your area.

From that point you’ll have 18 months to change to an NBN service, which is available from a range of internet service providers (such as Optus, TPG and many more).

To find out if NBN is available in your area, or when it’s scheduled to be built, visit whistleout.com.au/broadband and enter your street address.

Speed matters, and it is possibly the most important consideration when you are choosing an NBN connection. NBN services come in four speed tiers:

NBN 12 is your basic internet connection, delivering similar speeds to ADSL2+. It won’t wow you but should be fast enough for daily use and streaming HD video. That said, it may struggle if everyone in the house is trying to stream video at the same time.

NBN 25 is the minimum you’d want for streaming 4K video through Netflix. This is probably the sweet spot for many people – it’s faster than ADSL2+ and can adequately handle several connected devices.

NBN 50 suits a family of constantly connected internet lovers and ensures you have enough bandwidth so no one misses out on doing their favourite things online.

NBN 100 is the fastest speed available and best for those who regularly download or upload large files.

It’s worth noting that speeds aren’t guaranteed; they’re indicative of the maximum speed it’s possible to get on your plan.

Our recommendation? Try a no-contract NBN 25 plan first and see if it’s enough for your usage needs.

25Mbps should be faster than current ADSL services and be similarly priced, and if you need more speed you can easily change later to something faster.