
Let's start this off with a pat on the back from us to you. You've made the right decision by deciding to go with unlimited internet deals - the all-in approach to being online. The world (wide web) is your oyster now. You can download terabytes upon terabytes of files, stream TV and movies at 4K resolution 24/7 and, get your online gaming on every single second of your billing month. End result: you'll suffer no speed shaping, nor a fee tacked onto your monthly bill. An unlimited NBN internet plan is absolute power.
All that being said, such plans exist in the deeper end of the pool, pricewise. What you're going to want are some pro tips from us that will secure you the best deal. Preferably, it'll be one that's tailored to a speed tier that best suits your situation in terms of performance needs and price range. So, let's get stuck into it now to help you find the best plan for you.
Keep in mind that we're constantly on the look out for unlimited internet deals so that you don't have to be.
Technically you've taken the first step already – you've logged onto WhistleOut. We keep an up-to-date database of the best NBN providers in the country and offer a series of tables that can quickly sort the wheat from the chaff.
Basically, the best way to find a good deal is to enter the criteria you're after (like bundle options, data and spend), then watch as the search results spit out the best avenues to take. Once you start to see a pattern you like, maybe refine things a little further by selecting the speed tier you'd prefer from the options of NBN 12, NBN 25, NBN 50, NBN 100, NBN 250 and NBN 1000. If you’re not familiar with these terms, we’ll go into more detail about these shortly.
Lastly, anybody on the hunt for a cheap unlimited Internet plans should keep their eyes open for a few other hidden benefits and/or monetary landmines. These broadband sweeteners include things like cheaper introductory rates for the first few months of joining, bonus virtual e-gift cards, or complimentary SIM cards loaded with free credit to name but a few. Conversely, you may find yourself further out of pocket if the plan you're eyeing assumes you're bringing your own modem/router to the table, or there could be some other sort of installation or activation fee waiting to bite you in the wallet, too.

The first big tip we can give you is about the all-important megabits per second (Mbps) factor. In layman's terms, that's basically the speed rate of getting your data off the web and onto your device.
Now, when the NBN first arrived we saw every provider and their dog trying to advertise with their “theoretical max speeds”. This was a bit of a headache for the more unsuspecting customers out there as it wasn't the most accurate representation of what they would be getting most of the time.
The sad fact is that the max speed of a plan drops by roughly 20% or so come peak time (read: between 7pm and 11pm). This adjusted expectation has become known as “average evening speed” and you'll find most providers will now be advertising with this figure.
You can read more about NBN evening speeds here.

The next things to know about are the NBN speed tiers.
Let's start with the crème de la crème first, NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans. These are only available to FTTP connections and 70% of HCF (for NBN 250) and just 7% of coxial fibre connections for NBN 1000.
These broadband speeds are enormous, but impractical for most people. But hey, big speed make download go faster.
NBN 100 is the most widely available fast option. It is worth noting, however, that in less-than-optimal real-world conditions you'll most likely be losing 10 or so Mbps off that number. And as stated before, during evening peak times you're going to be dropped to the 80-85Mbps range.
That's still impressive decent compared to the dark ages of ADSL connections. An NBN 100 user (and their family members) will have more than enough bandwidth to online game, download huge files, and stream the latest entertainment in stunning 4K. Essentially, this tier is all about living large digitally.
The next rung down is NBN 50. Sales figures suggest that this tier is where most NBN users settle down. Once again, the 50Mbps in the moniker of this tier is a best-case scenario -- come tea time you'll be down to the 35-45Mbps mark. Used by one person, NBN 50 is blisteringly fast and reliable for online gaming, uploading or viewing YouTube vids, streaming Netflix or video conferencing. That said, if it's used as a shared resource with more than four media-hungry people at the same time, you may find it's inadequate for your household's needs. Expect congestion and whining.
The next breed of NBN is a dying one. NBN 25 used to be everywhere and was a pretty decent solution for a single user type situation. Come peak time, the 25Mbps will drop to a far less impressive 15-20Mbps, but for some people that was acceptable. Mostly because NBN 25 is cheap and still quite feasible for streaming, browsing and going on a YouTube video binge.
Bottom of the pile is NBN 12, a tier for folks who are one step away from going full luddite. 12Mbps (potentially as low as 7Mbps at prime time) will get you a (less than optimal) streaming experience with Netflix, Stan and the like. It’s about the same speed as the average ADSL connection, but you can still achieve all of your browsing, emailing and modest gigabytes file downloading, too. Just don't expect much more than that, especially with another user sharing said connection.
We all spend a portion of our time online, but we don't all use the same apps and services. Figuring out whether you need an unlimited data NBN plan means thinking about the sorts of things you do online at home, and calculating how much data this requires each month.
To make things simple, we've tested different online services at WhistleOut and estimated which types of plans are best suited for you, depending on the online activities you use.
Below we've got a quick overview of what kind of broadband plans are best for popular online activities. These recommendations are based on using just one of these apps or services, so if you're using more than one regularly, consider opting for a larger allowance.
| 50GB | 100GB | 500GB | Unlimited Data | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web Surfing | ||||
| Skype | ||||
| Music Streaming | ||||
| Online Gaming | ||||
| YouTube | ||||
| Streaming TV | ||||
| Downloading Movies & TV | ||||
| Downloading Video Games | ||||
| View plans | View plans | View plans | View plans |
We've taken this table from our detailed guide to data usage. Click here if you'd like more detail about how much data each online service uses.
Picking a broadband plan can be tricky, but with so many contract-free options on the market right now it gets that little bit easier. Test out Internode with a $20 per month discount, or pick Telstra, Kogan or TPG! Regardless you'll get a discount for your first six months and you're free to bounce whenever you want. Click or tap below for more info.
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