It’s been a year since I last reported on NBN Co’s wholesale price increases and I find myself doing the same again. Yes, we’re fast approaching the start of a new financial year in Australia, and while that means some excellent deals and discounts are on the horizon in the form of the EOFY sales, it also means that NBN plan prices are set for an increase.
As was the case last year, I am not entirely shocked by this news as NBN Co clarified its position on price adjustments within its Special Access Undertaking (SAU) regulatory framework, which was revised in 2023 and subsequently accepted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). It is currently setting up pricing plans until June 30, 2029.
The effect that will have on top NBN plans coming on July 1 (or shortly thereafter) remains to be seen, but wholesale increases are higher than they were this time last year at AU$0.66 to AU$1.71. While we don’t yet know if and how these wholesale price increases will affect monthly costs for consumers, I have some experience to make some logical assumptions.
Last year I saw slower plans – NBN 25 and NBN 50 – increase by up to AU$5p/m. Prices for NBN 100 plans also increased at selected providers. But the faster plans like NBN 1000 were steadily falling in price. So this year I expect similar moves to be made as there is obviously a push for more Australians to sign up to the fastest NBN plans.
Lock in before it’s too late
The good news is that there are ways to avoid being affected by the changes, and that is to switch your NBN plan to a new provider that offers an introductory discount.
Most providers offer a discount for the first 6 months, while some currently offer a full year of savings, including Kogan Internet and Vodafone. If you switch to a new provider that offers a discount, they will have to honor it, meaning you can avoid the expected price increases for a lot longer.
Note that when your initial discount period ends, you will pay the new ongoing rate for your selected plan, even if it has increased. Your ISP should contact you in advance with detailed information about the price increases you can expect.
So what plans do I currently recommend? Kogan Internet’s NBN 500 plan is a good starting point as it comes with a full 12 month discount and a low price of just AU$71.90p/m.
Across other speed tiers, Spintel and Dodo are good options, offering the cheapest introductory prices for six months on the NBN 25 and NBN 50 speed tiers respectively. Dodo also has the cheapest introductory price on the faster NBN 1000 speed tier.
If you’re considering switching, below are all my current recommendations across the various NBN speed tiers. I have included the current ongoing monthly charge, but note that this may change:
