Aussie Broadband, known for its strong reputation among Australian NBN providers, is currently offering a significant introductory discount on its NBN 500 plan. For the first six months, customers can sign up for AU$79 per month, a reduction of AU$20 from the usual AU$99. After this promotional period, the price reverts to AU$99 per month, with the option to cancel and switch providers if the cost is too high.
While this offer provides a substantial saving, it's not the cheapest NBN 500 plan available in Australia. Competitors such as Dodo and Superloop offer plans for AU$60.99 and AU$65 per month, respectively, during their introductory periods. These prices apply for the first six months as well.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) latest NBN performance report from June, Aussie Broadband is recognized as a capable provider, though not always the absolute leader in performance metrics. The report indicated an average ping time of 9.8ms during peak hours, which is slightly higher than some competitors like Exetel (6.9ms), Superloop (8.4ms), and Telstra (9.7ms). However, the practical difference in latency for most users, including gamers, is likely negligible.
A notable advantage for Aussie Broadband, particularly for users who host dedicated servers or require direct IP access, is its option to opt out of Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT). This feature addresses the scarcity of IPv4 addresses by allowing users to avoid sharing an IP with multiple households. Additionally, Aussie Broadband provides a tool to track real-time ping speeds from various Australian capital cities, updated every five minutes.
The provider also maintains a strong reputation for customer service, featuring Australian-based call centers, a contrast to the webchat and offshore support often utilized by budget providers. Gamers may also take note that Aussie Broadband ranks third in download speed performance for Steam clients in Australia, trailing only Leaptel and Superloop according to Steam's data. This ranking, however, could be influenced by the tendency of users on these networks to opt for higher-speed plans.
While other providers have improved their speeds and latency performance, potentially due to the wider rollout of Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology, Aussie Broadband's current offer might be appealing for those dissatisfied with their existing internet service or looking for a provider with strong customer support and optional features like CGNAT opt-out, especially since their plans do not involve lock-in contracts.