Identifying the Cheapest Internet Plans in Sydney: An Econnex Guide

The harbourside capital of New South Wales can be an expensive place to live.  

Sydney is one of the nation’s largest (and most desirable) cities due to its history, natural beauty, agreeable climate, and coastal personality. As such, the prices here can be challenging for everyday Aussie households to contend with.  

To get ahead in this high-cost environment, you must be able to ‘control the controllable’. Any leverage you have as a consumer must be used to secure the best prices. So, what can you control? Your broadband plan is an excellent place to start. 

This city is abundant with competition from various Internet Service Providers (ISPs), each vying for your attention with sign-on bonuses, competitive rates, rewards programs, and more. While this variety of providers is beneficial, it can also make it challenging to identify the cheapest NBN plans in Sydney, especially when considering individual requirements.   

Don’t fret. We can help sort through some options to deliver broadband budgetary relief.  

State of the Internet in Sydney and New South Wales 

New South Wales has a competitive, well-regulated broadband market that allows several providers to offer various broadband products ranging from NBN12 to Opticomm1000 (we’ll explain those in further detail shortly). Each type of product caters to a different kind of internet user, from the occasional email sender to the hardcore online gamer.  

This distinction between different products, such as NBN50 or NBN100 plans, is important when searching for the cheapest NBN plans in Sydney because what’s good for the goose may not be good for the gander.  

If you’re focussing on price alone, you may accidentally select a plan that fails to meet your internet requirements. You first need to find the tier of product that fits your performance needs, and then you can focus on the price.  

To discuss further, say you’re a dedicated Netflix streamer; an NBN12 or NBN25 plan is unlikely to meet your performance expectations, even though they may be the cheapest internet plans in Sydney. Selecting such a plan could result in extended buffering, loss of resolution, and a generally less satisfying viewing experience.  

So, if you pick your plan based on price alone, you could make the wrong decision. 

Factors Affecting Internet Prices in Sydney 

“Look, broadband performance doesn’t matter to me”, I hear some of you say, “I use the internet sparingly, and I just want to find the cheapest NBN plans in Sydney”. Fair enough, let’s discuss that a bit more, as it’s not so cut-and-dry. The price of a broadband plan can be affected by a few things: 

1. Is it limited or unlimited? A limited broadband plan gives you a data allowance every billing period. For example, you may be allowed 70GB of downloads per month. You may need to pay more to continue browsing if you exceed that allowance.     An unlimited broadband plan (like those found on Econnex) does away with this cap but may charge slightly more upfront. So, which type of plan costs more overall? It depends on your usage. If you regularly exceed the cap on a limited plan, the additional top-up charges could result in a higher net cost over the long term.    In truth, most home broadband solutions in the NSW market are unlimited these days, with mobile broadband plans (‘dongles’) being the main exception.    
2. Are there limited-time discounts or sign-on bonuses? ISPs offer different incentives to encourage you to choose their product. These could include a welcome credit, a free subscription to a streaming service, or a discounted monthly price for a limited time. These can all affect the overall cost of your plan and must be factored in.     If Plan A is $5/month more expensive than Plan B but comes with a Standard Netflix subscription (priced at 16.99/month), which is really the cheaper choice? If you purchase Netflix independently, you'll pay more overall each month with Plan B. However, if you don’t watch Netflix at all (and don’t plan to), then it’s the cheaper option. It really does come down to the finer points of detail.    
3. Are there any network infrastructure costs? Connecting to NBN or Opticomm services may incur additional setup costs for new builds or regional households. For example, a recently developed single dwelling seeking an NBN connection may need to pay up to $600 to account for new cabling and the labour required to install it.     Remote rural households may need to explore satellite internet options, which could also come with significant setup costs, depending on the provider and plan selected. Some providers may offer the option to either purchase the satellite hardware outright or rent it from them. This is why, when seeking the cheapest broadband plans in Sydney, it’s essential to assess the overall net spend on an internet plan instead of focusing solely on the monthly service fee.   
4. Can You Bring Your Own Modem?  Some broadband providers are happy for you to supply your own modem if you have one, whereas others will require you to purchase a new one (or may provide it free of charge). As with the points above, these additional costs must be factored in. Generally speaking, we recommend that you supply your own modem if possible, and if it’s compatible, to avoid incurring additional costs.  

Compare Top 10 Internet Providers in Australia

Your Broadband Options in Sydney 

With all of that out of the way, let’s get down to business to help you identify the cheapest NBN plans in Sydney. If your browsing needs are minimal, then an NBN12, NBN25, Opticomm12, or Opticomm25 plan is likely to be cheaper than the alternatives. These products are typically designed with budget-conscious users in mind, although they do not suit everybody.  

• NBN/Opticomm12 products offer a maximum download speed of 12 megabytes per second (Mbps), as well as a typical upload speed of 1Mbps. Remember, those speeds will likely not suffice for those with an interest in online gaming or high-quality streaming.     In theory, these should regularly be the cheapest Sydney internet plans on the market, as they occupy the lowest broadband performance/speed bracket. However, as mentioned, welcome offers or incentive programs for other products may affect the overall cost.    
• NBN/Opticomm25 plans are the next rung up on the broadband ladder, offering a max download speed of 25Mbps and upload speed of 10Mbps, making them a quite popular choice.  

For some households, especially those with multiple residents, NBN/Opticomm12 plans will just not cut the mustard in terms of speed. Therefore, the cheapest plan that performs to the required standard for each resident may be an NBN25 or Opticomm25 option.  

Compare Internet Plans in Sydney with Econnex 

It’s a no-brainer. Comparing broadband plans can help everyday Australians find a better internet deal without compromising on service quality or performance.  

Once you have identified what you need from your internet connection, including the download or upload speeds required for online work or recreation, head over to the intuitive Econnex broadband comparison platform. We have several options from reputable broadband providers nationwide available for your comparison (depending on your address), which you can apply for at no extra cost.   

Comparing and applying online with Econnex can be accomplished with three simple steps. Provide your address, compare the various options from our panel of providers, and submit your application online without any ads, sponsored products, or annoying third-party redirections. That means you’re more likely to find an option that allows you to stream and game to your heart’s content without breaking the bank! 

Sound good? Then there’s no time to waste. Start comparing your internet options today.