Everything you need to know about NBN speeds
PLEASE NOTE: As of October 2020, this article is no longer current. Please visit our website for current information about our NBN plans and their respective speeds.
In order to help Australians make informed choices when it comes to the NBN™, iiNet is amongst the first Internet Service Providers to follow recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to advertise typical evening speeds for NBN™.
These speeds measure the typical download speeds nationwide between 7PM to 11PM (local time). This is when the network is busiest and performance issues such as congestion are the most likely to occur, so measuring speeds during this period provides more realistic information about the speeds you can expect to experience on the NBN™.
As of 16 September 2020, iiNet advertises the following speeds for NBN™ FTTP, FTTB, FTTN, FTTC & HFC services:
- Basic: Typical evening speed 11.1Mbps download
- Standard: Typical evening speed 21.3Mbps download
- Standard Plus: Typical evening speed 46.7Mbps download
- Premium: Typical evening speed 83.6Mbps download
iiNet Business NBN™ services measure typical speeds during weekday business hours (i.e. 9AM – 5PM local time) as this is more useful to business customers. View our Business NBN™ plans to see these speeds.
Other factors affecting the speeds you may experience
Unique factors affecting NBN™ FTTN/FTTB services
As explained in Connecting to the NBN™ Network, NBN™ FTTN/FTTB services use copper cabling to connect the customer’s premises to a Node or Main Distribution Frame. You can check the NBN™ technology available at your address on our website.
The length and quality of this copper cabling has a significant effect on the customer’s connection speed, particularly in areas where NBNCo has installed fewer Nodes than originally planned, resulting in increased cable length.
Additionally, NBN™ FTTN/FTTB networks will typically run slower during the 18 month transitional period (known as the coexistence period) after NBN™ first goes live. This is required in order for NBN™ FTTN/FTTB to coexist with legacy non-NBN™ services. After 18 months, legacy copper services are typically disconnected and NBN™ FTTN/FTTB performance improves.
Notifications for NBN™ FTTN/FTTB/FTTC customers
As per the ACCC’s guidelines, NBN™ FTTB, FTTN and FTTC customers will receive an email within the first month of connecting with us, advising what the maximum attainable speed on their connection is. This will help you choose an NBN™ that suits the capability of your connection.
In the event that your underlying connection cannot support the full speed on your chosen NBN™ plan, your email will outline available compensation options to ensure that you are not paying for a speed that your underlying connection cannot physically support.
More information
iiNet has a serious commitment to providing the Australian public with the information they need in order to make informed decisions when choosing an NBN™ plan. If you need a hand choosing a plan, please contact us.
For more information about ACCC’s guidelines, visit accc.gov.au.
66 comments
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Great question Graham!
In most situations, customers will need to transition to NBN. However, where we operate our own network (consisting of VDDSL2, iiNet Cable and iiNet FTTB), there is no need to switch to NBN, as these use our own equipment and resources. Therefore, you’re absolutely fine to stay where you are!
– Leo
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I should have been refunded for slow internet speeds I was not getting what I paid for.
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Hi Mark,
You’re always welcome to have a chat to Support about this; we’re sure they’ll be able to assist!
– Leo
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Why is it the emphasis is only in download speed? In my opinion the upload speed should start with atleast 2mbps since we do more uploads to social media nowadays.
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I still don’t understand why when installing a new connection you would run a new copper cable 650metres for a 250 metre run? Is it so they can charge the tax payer more for installing a service?
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What is VDSL anyway?? Also can you please define FTTB, FTTB and FTTC?
Thank you
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Hi Bill,
We’ve covered this in the Blog previously. Have a look at:
https://blog.iinet.net.au/connecting-to-fibre-to-the-node/
https://blog.iinet.net.au/fttc-nbn-technology/Cheers!
– Leo
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I have checked the IInet website for what NBN is available to me, and, “this product is not available to me”. Checked for satellite, “this product is not available to me”. I have ADSL2 with a max speed of 1.7Mps.
What are my options, and offnet ADSL2 wont give me faster speed.-
Hi Paul,
In that case, have a look at the NBN coverage map:
https://www1.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address.html
This should tell you what NBN type may be available to you or when it is anticipated to be available.
– Leo
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The NBN in Twin Waters 4564 QLD is a mess and with poor mobile reception. I refuse to deal with providers that have their support office outsourced to a non English speaking countries including India and Philippines they waste our time, money, mobile batteries and costs. OUTSOURCING IS A DISGRACE OR ALL AUSTRALIANS PERIOD.
I am looking for the evasive honest NBN provider, so far none.
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But what are the speeds provided by VDSL2?
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Hi Del,
Our VDSL2 product in the ACT, offers speeds between 20 & 80Mbps. You can find out more, here:
https://www.iinet.net.au/internet-products/broadband/vdsl2/
– Leo
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So how does one know whether there will be a need to transition to the NBN?
Alternative email address
pierre@adam.com.au-
Hi Pierre,
Most customers will need to transition to the NBN. However, if you’re in an area where our own Ultra Broadband products are available, then there is no need to switch. Have a look at:
https://www.iinet.net.au/internet-products/
Enter your address there so you can see what is available to you!
– Leo
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What about speeds for fixed wireless, which is what i’ll be offered?
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when will nbn be available in maddington wa
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Hi Herbert,
Maddington is currently under construction, with NBN indicating that it may be ready to connect by the end of June, 2019. Have a look at:
https://www1.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address.html
– Leo
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Ok with published down load speeds but what are the corresponding upload speeds. Will I be able to upload completed video files at a reasonable rate. 1.2 up on ADSL2 is not considered reasonable.
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Iinet advertises and sells several plans.
i signed up for the 50gb plan at a set cost of $79.99, After repeated speed checks I cannot achieve more than 32gb, Iinet have also confirmed that I cannot get more than 34gb in my area, so why should I have to pay for something that is not possible to get? Iinet claims it is NBN that create these plans and costs. Why cannot I pay only for the speeds I can get and why can’t Iinet adjust the cost and claim a rebate from NBN Co??-
Hi Harry,
Its an interesting question but it would be extremely difficult as well as incredibly labour intensive to create plans and rebates to cover each connection speed attained, let alone the variances in connection performance that may occur.
If the speed is not reaching what your connection should be capable of, we can always troubleshoot with you, or, you are able to downgrade to a lower speed tier.
– Leo
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My house is being wired for a security system therefore I am interested in upload speeds for monitoring my home remotely. Where can I find these speeds please
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I would like to see typical evening speeds for the fixed wireless service.
As usual these are not mentioned unless commented in the media.
My fixed wireless tower is 0835006 Bees Creek
https://oztowers.com.au/Home/FullSiteInfo?siteId=19305 -
3Mbps at 6am not very fast for nbn is it???
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Hi Mike,
We certainly agree – thats not the speed we’d expect. Therefore, we do hope you’ve had a chat to Support about this! If this remains unresolved, you’re always able to reach us at: iionline@iinet.net.au.
– Leo
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Your reply to Graham’s comment does not address the issue that if his service was transitioned to NBN and away from iiNet VDDSL2 he could potentially receive higher speeds. He could also access more available plans with NBN.
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We we’re recently connected to NBN FTTN. Download speed of only 5Mbps (max) being experienced regardless of time (approx. 1.5Mbps upload). This is very disappointing and only marginally better than ADSL2+. When queried, iiNet and NBN Co. advised that cable length between node and our premises is 1,780m (!!!) and capable of only supporting a max download speed of 6Mbps. This indicated that co-existence was not a factor but rather the length of the xabke run. No plans in place to rectify. What happened to the assured min download speed of 12Mbps? I’m exploring my options.
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Hi Michael,
Thanks for taking the time to get in touch.
It sounds like the length from the node will be a factor here, but co-existence will also come into play. Having said that, utlimately the issue here is the network itself. We can always push this back to NBN for a fault to be lodged, if not already done, so that further actions can take place.
– Leo
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So let me get this right – you pay for NBN50, notionally a 50Mbps service (Standard) – and you might get typically get 19.2 Mbps, if you are lucky – but maybe even less?
I agree with another blog – upload speed is more important to me than download speed – and from what I’m seeing, this is going to be significantly lower again.
Not that we can get either, at the moment.
The logic of all this?
If I buy 50 litres of petrol, I expect to get 50 litres – not 19, or even far less. It comes agross to me, as a confidence trick – not that this is the fault of iinet – and the TIO appears to be useless, and sitting on their hands while collecting a good salary. -
Richard is lucky to get 1.2 up on his adsl2 service. My adsl2 service gives a typical 650kb/sec up, and 1 – 2.5mb down. Used to be faster until the NBN took over the copper and started screwing around with the nodes & lines in the area. NBN in my street has no available date and I need to use a 4G service to supplement the speeds.
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Hi Ian,
That is very concerning to hear and we strongly recommend making contact with Support to have a fault lodged. Construction or not, your speeds are below the mandated minimum of 1500kbps for ADSL, so this can be investigated!
– Leo
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The promise of higher speed with the installation of NBN is just a “con”. My speeds are slower with the NBN than with ADSL, so I was sold a pup.
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Hi John,
We strongly suggest continuing to work with Support on this, especially if the speeds you’re seeing occurs when the modem is isolated down to a single computer with Wi-Fi disabled. If thats the case, we can send this to NBN as a fault.
– Leo
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I have been a long time customer of iinet and want to know why you offer a lessor NBN speed for my $70 per month than TPG and Dodo just to name two. I have a family of user’s in the evenings and weekends so I will need the fastest I can afford and at the moment both named providers offer better value for money.
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I am still receiving less than half the download speed I am paying for. My requests for an appropriate reduction in my monthly fee, as recommended by the ACCC, have been ignored by iiNet.
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Hi Michael,
We certainly don’t want you suffering substandard speeds. We absolutely recommend having a chat to Support about this, requesting that a speed fault be lodged. you’re also able to access the required troubleshooting here:
https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Troubleshooting_NBN_FTTB/FTTN_for_Speed_Issues
If consistent troubleshooting and analysis shows that your connection isn’t able to support the recommended speeds, then you can downgrade to a lower speed tier without penalty.
– Leo
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The worst part of NBN is the complete lack of service when you have a problem. I am still waiting for call back from October 2017.
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Anonymous of 6/7/18 is absolutely correct. Once upon a time iiNet provided an incomparable service with centres in NZ., Sydney/Perth, and Cape Town. Now the service is as disgraceful as it can get thanks to TPG rubbing out all the iiNet centres. With the huge profits these telcos make, why is service no longer a priority
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@ Richard Newton
You get 1.2 mbps UP? lucky you, I am on maybe 60kbps on a good day. A routinely have 3-4GB files to upload.
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Hi Craig,
That’s not what we want for you to have, that’s for sure! There may be a reason for this performance and we can investigate so that you can be given a clear understanding on what the root cause is and what solutions we may have. Feel free to e-mail us with your details to: iionline@iinet.net.au and we’ll be able to lend a hand.
– Leo
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On average we only get 1.7Mbps download and 1.2 uploadon our ADSL connectionand no matter how many times I complain IINet still charges the same.
There is no point trying to watch internet TV while someone else is reading emails, never going to happen.Will NBN really fix the problem.
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When I was originally connected to the NBN I had nothing but trouble over speeds and constant buffering and constant complaints over interrupted service when it would drop out for minutes at a time. This did bring quite a lot of attention from iiNet who I have been with for over 10 years and who I was reluctant to leave. After two separate visits from NBN technicians and 4 replacement modems I now have a well working and stable system. It was a frustrating couple of months, and from all accounts not an unusual occurrence, but sticking with iiNet was worthwhile as they did try very hard to get me a decent reception and I thank them for that.
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When will NBN become available in the Warwick W.A. area
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We’ve taken a look and can see build has commenced in the Warwick (WA) area, Jeff. At the moment NBN expect to have services active in the first half of next year.
– Brianna
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Its interesting to note the number of posts on here that have no replies from iinet. Many of these posts were of interest to me and it is frustrating to not see a response. Please rectify this iinet.
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Hi Mike,
We do attempt to respond to the majority of the comments here – If there is a delay it may be that we are sourcing information to provide an accurate response or assigning the comment to the right Representative or team to assist. What was it you were interested in knowing?
– Brianna
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I have a 50Mbps plan. I just received an email saying my speed is 33Mbps, with an offer to go on to a lesser plan, or cancel it. But the next plan is 25Mbps which is less than what I am getting now.
I don’t understand why the offer has been made, I don’t really have a choice. I have to keep paying for the 50Mbps plan to get the best NBN speed available.
Is it a ACCC requirement?-
Hi Anthony,
The offer to change to a lower speed tier is a requirement from the ACCC. If you’re happy with the speed, you are able to stay where you are.
– Leo
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I’m surprised that NBN12 is considerably slower than my previous ASDL2+.
Is there any plan for iinet to offer NBN50 for a more competitive price anytime soon?-
Hi Glen,
If you were connecting above 12Mbps on ADSL2+, then yes, the NBN12 tier would be slower. If we do change our pricing for the plan mentioned, we’ll be sure to make some noise about it!
– Leo
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OK, well i’ll be moving on then. There are some much better deals available, e.g. Barefoot.
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What are the upload speeds for your NBN plans? Do you have a page that describes this information that you can direct us to?
I often work from home and this is important for me in choosing a plan. I have searched your site and cannot find this information.
Thanks
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Hi Ash,
Upload speeds for NBN plans are in alignment with each speed tier represented and are subject to the same factors as download speeds. For clarity:
Basic (NBN12) This plan is configured on a wholesale Basic speed tier that has an upload speed of 1Mbps.
Standard (NBN25) This plan is configured on a wholesale Standard speed tier that has an upload speed of 5Mbps.
Standard Plus (NBN50) This plan is configured on a wholesale Standard Plus speed tier that has an upload speed of 20Mbps.
Premium (NBN100) This plan is configured on a wholesale Premium speed tier that has an upload speed of 40Mbps.Please be aware that these speeds are subject to the factors explained here:
https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/node/17104
– Leo
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Can anyone at iinet explain why my experience contradicts the advertised performance?
I am on an NBN50 plan which iinet advertises as follows:
* Standard Plus (NBN50): Typical evening speed 44.5Mbps download
Recently I have been experiencing drop outs when watching streamed TV. It’s really uncomfortable to watch.
Speedtest reports my download speed as 3 Mbps (upload is still up at 14 Mbps).-
Hi Colin,
There are many reasons for why the connection speed you have may not be working to the rates expected and we do recommend methodical troubleshooting to identify the root cause.
Thankfully, we have comprehensive help guides available via our iiHelp pages, an example of which is:
https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Troubleshooting_NBN_FTTB/FTTN_for_Speed_Issues
Please remember that speeds on the NBN are subject to various factors as well, which can be found here:
https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/node/17104
– Leo
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Who sends out the NCD, NBN or iinet? and when does it get sent?
Lakelands, WA is set for 16th November. I have pre-ordered NBN Will i get my NCD before or after this date?
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Hi Rusell,
Great question, so thanks for asking!
We’ll send out the NCD and any supplied modem when we have a confirmed connection appointment for your new service, so it will be after NBN declares the area ready for service.
– Leo
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I use Gumtree a lot and my desktop freezes constantly as each page is bombarded with huge adverts. My FTTN line cannot cope with this amount of data throughput. Strangely, I had no problem on ADSL2. Advertisers are stealing my bandwidth. I’m paying ISP fees to be annoyed by unwanted intrusive advertising data that’s stuffing up the internet for me. Yes I know, that’s what makes the ‘net economically viable for the masses.
What I really cannot understand is people PAYING for services from Foxtel and the like and still getting adverts as if they were still on the FREE TO AIR sites. It’s idiotic.
Can I pay for installing fibre cable from the node to home, thus eliminating the copper wire and modem conversion bottleneck. If not available now, when will I be able to upgrade in the future. -
My new NBN basic speed is slowler than the my still working iinet naked DSL. Why does iinet not let people know that this is what they should expect if they choose to go with NBN.
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Hi I’m on the nbn25 plan for 79.99 the nbn50 plan is 79.99
I’m getting like 10.1 supposed to get 18.9 very slow speeds at times if I change my plan to nbn50 will this help with the speeds???-
Hey Todd!
We wouldn’t recommend a change of plans as this may just mask a deeper issue. Instead, troubleshooting and testing is the way to go, as we can check the service with you to see what the probably cause it. If its something we can fix, its worth fixing first!
If you can, please get in touch via iiOnline@iinet.net.au with your details; we’d love to hear from you so we can help.
– Leo
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Hi, I’m on the NBN50 FTTN and I’ve recently been notified that the NBN roll out has been completed in my area so we are apparently no longer in the coexistence period. I’m still only getting averages of 20-27Mbps down and 3-5Mbps up during peak time. That’s no where near the advertised average of 42.6
As of 1 May 2019, iiNet advertises the following speeds for NBN™ FTTP, FTTB, FTTN, FTTC & HFC services:
Standard Plus (NBN50): Typical evening speed 42.6Mbps download
What can I do to improve this connection? I don’t want to be paying for a service I’m not receiving.
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Hello, Danielle. Connection speeds can be affected by a number of different factors. For FTTN services the longer the distance between your property and the Node, the slower the connection is going to be. The typical speeds provided are based on real-world data from customers on NBN50 plans, but not all customers will be able to get these speeds depending on their specific infrastructure.
Nonetheless, if you are concerned about your connection speeds we can certainly look into this for you. If you can send us an E-Mail to iiOnline@iinet.net.au with your details and the best time to contact you we’ll arrange for a support team representative to give you a call to follow up with you further.
– Chris
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Can you please confirm the average uoload speed?
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Hi John,
We’ll provide more info on this as it becomes available.
– Leo
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This article implies that everyone should be transitioning to one NBN plan or another. We are currently on VDSL2 with iiNet, and recently received an email saying there was no need for us to transition to NBN at all. Can you explain the apparent contradiction here?