Cheapest Broadband ADSL in Australia
2009-06-09 http://www.tandb.com.au /broadband/
Here are details of the cheapest broadband ADSL Internet connection in Australia.
Broadband Overview
Background and introduction to ADSL broadband, how it works, what you need, etc.
Getting Connected
Details of costs, and sign up procedure. All inc GST.
How much to
set it up? 		See the "Activation fee" column for each plan below.
Can I get
ADSL? 		Our ADSL plans are available in all states and territories in Australia (Tasmania currently unavailable until about July 2009). Connections vary from one telephone exchange to another, so the best way to check your actual phone line is to fill out the application form. This will prompt a technical check of your exchange and phone line. You will be notified (at no cost) within a couple of days if the service is not available to you.
Monthly Plans
Click the "Order" link next to the connection type you want in the table below.
Connection Type Line Rental Connection speed
(download/upload) kb/s
Plan Activation fee Cost per month Included downloads Contract
Peak Off-Peak
ADSL2 Naked
Order
No line rental charge since analog line disabled
19Mb/s (ideal max)
9500/840 (average) 		NAK2A $40 $45.0 6GB 60GB 12 month
NAK2B $40 $55.0 12GB 60GB 12 month
NAK2C $40 $65.0 24GB 60GB 12 month
NAK2D $40 $75.0 36GB 60GB 12 month
NAK2E $40 $90.0 54GB 60GB 12 month
ADSL2 Inc Phone
Order
Line rental transfered over to us (for $15 per month)
19Mb/s (ideal max)
9500/840 (average) 		INC2DSLA $40 $40.0 6GB 60GB 12 month
INC2DSLB $40 $50.0 12GB 60GB 12 month
INC2DSLC $40 $60.0 27GB 60GB 12 month
INC2DSLD $40 $75.0 42GB 60GB 12 month
INC2DSLE $40 $90.0 54GB 60GB 12 month
ADSL2
Order
Line rental continues through your current provider
19Mb/s (ideal max)
9500/840 (average) 		PTL A $130 $35.0 6GB 60GB 12 month
PTL B $130 $45.0 12GB 60GB 12 month
PTL C $130 $55.0 24GB 60GB 12 month
PTL D $130 $65.0 36GB 60GB 12 month
PTL E $130 $90.0 54GB 60GB 12 month
ADSL2 Pre-paid
Order
Line rental transfered over to us (for $30 per month)
19Mb/s (ideal max)
9500/840 (average) 		PAYUDSL2 $40 $10.0 0GB 0GB 12 month
ADSL1
Order New or Transfer
Line rental continues through your current provider
512/128 TL-AA $130 $40.0 6GB 60GB 6 month
512/128 TL-AB $130 $45.0 12GB 60GB 6 month
1500/256 TL-BA $130 $50.0 12GB 60GB 6 month
1500/256 TL-BB $130 $60.0 30GB 60GB 6 month
8192/384 TL-CA $130 $75.0 12GB 60GB 6 month
8192/384 TL-CB $130 $85.0 30GB 60GB 6 month
ADSL1 Pre-paid
Order New or Transfer
Line rental continues through your current provider
512/128 PAYU/512 $130 $30.0 0GB 0GB 6 month
1500/256 PAYU/1500 $130 $37.5 0GB 0GB 6 month
8192/384 PAYU/8192 $130 $57.5 0GB 0GB 6 month
What is included
per month? 		All connections feature: free uploads (such as sending email or files), a static IP address (essential if you decide to run your own business or games server), 20 email addresses (20 MB each), 200 MB of web site space, 100 free VoIP phone calls (national), 30 free web to SMS messages (8c per SMS thereafter), 20 free faxes over broadband (3c per fax thereafter). You have web access to see your daily and monthly usage.
Free uploads All plans include free uploads. That means, all traffic generated by your sending email or serving web pages, for instance, is free of charge.
Free downloads:
60GB per month 		In addition to your peak time downloads, on most plans, you can download up to 60GB in our off-peak period for free. You choose when your off-peak time occurs, either midnight to noon, 1am to 1pm, or 2am to 2pm. You can change it each month (as of June 1).
ADSL2 ADSL2 is much faster than ADSL1. Speeds achieved by any user will depend on many factors and can, under ideal circumstances, reach 19 Mbps down (average speed obtained from 100 test users in August 2007 was 9.5 Mbps down and 840 kbps up).
Line rental Line rental depends on the connection type that you choose. "ADSL2 Naked" ADSL will disconnect your normal "PSTN" phone services, so you pay no line rental (and disables your dial tone and analog phone calls). "ADSL2 Inc Phone" and "Pre-paid" will switch your line rental over to us (see the cost in the "Line Rental" column above). Our plain "ADSL2" and "ADSL1" plans keep line rental with your current provider.
What do I pay for excess usage? If you use more than your included downloads, you pay only $3 per excess GB (except on pre-paid plans, see below). Compare this to Telstra's $150 per GB (15c/MB) excess rate and you'll see why this is the best rate we know of from any established ADSL provider in Australia.
Is there a shaping option? Yes. If you wish, you can choose to slow ("shape") your excess bandwidth to 64kbps once you reach your download limit. You can switch between excess and shaped once per month. Note that the shaping option is intended to give you access to mail and web browsing, not to continue to download as much as you can. For that reason, the shaping download quota is limited to an extra 2GB. If you exceed the 2GB of shaped extra downloads for the month, you will be charged $6 per GB.
Pre-paid Pre-paid plans are for "light" users. You pre-purchase downloads in 5GB blocks. The downloads have no expiry date and can be topped up at any time. AM downloads cost $0.20 per GB. PM downloads cost $1 per GB. If you exceed 5GB in either period for the month, you can choose to pay for more at $6 per GB.
"Naked" ADSL Naked ADSL is ADSL2 without normal voice phone services, shown above as "NAK2..." plans. You don't pay any line rental but you can't connect a normal voice phone to your phone line. You either use another phone line for your voice phone calls or you use a VoIP (Voice over IP) phone to make calls via the Internet. If you want Naked ADSL but don't already have a phone number connected, you need to connect a new line through Telstra first, then come back and fill in our application form to change it over to Naked ADSL.
How much for
an ADSL modem?
You can order an ADSL modem for $60 (Netcomm NB6) with one Ethernet port. If you also want wireless connections (for multiple computers), you can buy the NB6W for $90. Or buy the combined wireless and multi-port Ethernet modem (Netcomm NB6plus4W) for $110. Each modem comes with a line filter and is ADSL2 ready. Additional line filters (if required) are $20 each. $20 delivery applies to the order. (Costs and modems change, so check on our order form when applying.) If you already have an ADSL modem, you can use it with our connection, but we don't provide technical support for other types. Note ADSL2 requires an ADSL2 capable modem.
How long does
it take? 		After you apply, a new ADSL service will typically be connected, up and running in about 10 days. A transfer of an existing connection takes 4 to 10 days (your choice of which day).
How do I connect? You will receive your modem, if you ordered one, by courier. You will also receive instructions (via email, and via courier if receiving a modem) for connecting. All you generally have to do is connect your modem, and enter your allocated username and password into it from your web browser. In case you need it, you'll receive a list of technical support resources (web forums, email address, phone number).
Can I change
from another
ADSL provider? 		Yes. If you already have ADSL1 through another provider, you can transfer ("churn") to our ADSL1 plans for free (instead of the activation fee). You nominate a day within the next 4 to 10 working days for the changeover, on our application form. The old account is cancelled automatically, but your old ISP may charge you for the remainder of the month or contract cancellation, so check.
What's the
contract period? 		The contract period for each plan is shown in the table of plans above. If you wish to cancel the connection in that time, you pay a $100 exit fee. After the contract period, your connection continues on a month by month basis.
How do I pay? You can nominate a credit card or bank account to be direct debited. At the end of each month, any excess for that month will be charged along with the plan fee for the following month in advance. The billing cycle runs on calendar months, with your first partial month being charged proportionately. A $1.10 per month administration fee applies to all accounts.
Web to SMS With each account, you have access to online SMS services, where you can SMS any phone from your web browser, for just 8c per message. Your first 30 messages a month are free!
Can I
change plans? 		Yes, you can change ADSL plans at any time. If no speed change, then no fee. If you choose a plan with a different speed, then a $25 fee applies. You submit a change request (via your member's account web page) by 26th of the month to have it take effect from the beginning of the next month.
What if I move? If you move to new premises, you can relocate your ADSL connection for a $100 fee. If you move within your initial contract, you also pay the $100 cancelation fee (Telstra impose this).
Phone call charges If you choose to have line rental or long distance calls bundled with these plans, then the following charges apply: Local Calls 18c per call. Flagfall of 25c per time charged call (ie not local calls). National calls 6c per minute. Calls to mobiles 27c per minute. International calls per minute: UK 4.4c, USA 5.5c, Belgium 5.7c, Brazil 14c, Canada 4.4c, China 7.0c, Denmark 14c, France 6.8c, Germany 5.1c, Greece 9.9c, Hong Kong 8.9c, Ireland 6.8c, Italy 5.9c, Japan 9.4c, Malaysia 7.6c, Netherlands 5.5c, New Zealand 6.3c, more.
VoIP call charges Once you have an ADSL plan connected with us, you can connect a VoIP service for no activation or monthly cost. You need a VoIP modem (such as the RTA1046VW modem for $150, listed on our application form) or an ATA (such as the V210P for $75) to connect your normal handset. Only call costs apply (no line rental or flagfall): Any Australian landline 10c per call. Calls to mobiles 22c per minute. International calls per minute: UK 1.0c, USA 2.0c, Canada 1.0c, China 2.0c, France 3.0c, Germany 2.0c, Hong Kong 4.0c, Ireland 2.0c, India 12c, Italy 2.0c, Japan 4.0c, Malaysia 4.0c, New Zealand 3.0c, more.
Questions Email us if you have any questions that aren't answered here. We only conduct broadband sales via web and email. Please include the phone number of the line on which you're considering connecting ADSL. Then we can check your specific line and keep track of your enquiry. Once you apply for a connection, we supply a tech support phone number, in case you ever need it.
How popular are
these plans? 		We have been offering these ADSL plans since February 2004. In that time, over 75,000 residential, small and large businesses and government departments have connected to this service. About 1,500 new customers connect each month.
Disclaimer
All prices subject to change. Errors and omissions may apply. These plans are the best prices we know of from any established (been providing ADSL for at least three months) ADSL provider in Australia. T&B is acting as agent for an ADSL carrier. All contracts are between the customer and the carrier, not T&B.