You might be 'overpaying' as much as $1,000 for your internet, says tech expert
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In today's world, having internet access in one's home has developed into an absolute necessity, particularly in the wake of the pandemic.
According to statistics provided by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), almost 91 per cent of adult Aussies have access to the internet in their homes.
However, as the cost of living skyrockets (petrol and groceries, we’re looking at you!), we are all looking for ways to trim the extra fat from our household budgets.
According to information from a recent study by the finance website Mozo, Aussies may be overpaying by as much as 58 per cent a year for their broadband connection.
So, what can we do to reduce our internet bills if we're paying too much?
If you live alone or with only one or two other people, a cheaper NBN option might work for you. Credit: Whiddon.
Tom Godfrey, a spokesperson for Mozo, believes that comparing different broadband plans is the most important step to reducing unnecessary expenses.
In his view, the most crucial things to watch out for are the contract type, upload and download speeds, and, of course, cost.
"If you choose a standard plus NBN 50 plan, you can save up to $1194 over the course of the next 12 months compared to the most expensive plan," he said, adding, "There are also significant savings for fast NBN 100 plans, saving $554, and for ultra-fast NBN 250 plans, saving about $1030."
"So, whichever NBN category you choose, there is money to be saved by comparing plans and switching to the most competitive offer."
Godfrey also brought up the fact that a lot of Aussies are paying for the most expensive tier of NBN speed when a lower one might be able to meet their requirements just as well.
"As a rough guide, 50 megabits per second would be great for a household of one or two people," he said.
"If you're just at home watching TV or maybe streaming music, but say in a larger home like mine where everyone is on multiple screens, 100 megabits per second, which allows people to stream TV and play games at the same time, is probably a better option."
Godfrey also emphasised to his audience the importance of flexibility when picking an internet service provider. The days of long-term lock-in contracts are largely over, which is fantastic if you want to shop around for a better deal.
A growing trend in home broadband access is wireless 5G internet, which is also one of the least expensive options.
"We discovered that the least expensive 5G home broadband plan was $824.89 (per year), making it one of the most affordable options available. The most expensive plan was $1968," he said.
It might be faster and less expensive to switch from NBN to 5G at home. Credit: baloon111/Getty Images/iStockphoto.
The Mozo Expert Choice Broadband Awards for 2022 is a list that has been meticulously compiled by the company's team of technical experts in order to help Australian consumers decide on their next broadband provider.
And much to the company's surprise, the major winners turned out to be mostly unheard-of brands.
These are the companies that were successful in winning awards:
Check out the home page for Mozo's broadband service if you are interested in learning more about how you can compare energy deals and find the best deals for your household. We also recommend checking out CHOICE's broadband ratings, because they don’t (as far as we know) receive any ‘kickbacks’ from broadband providers for recommending their services.
If you're interested in speeding up your internet connection without spending any more money or changing plans, you might find the video below has a couple of helpful tips.
Credit: Aussie Broadband.
According to statistics provided by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), almost 91 per cent of adult Aussies have access to the internet in their homes.
However, as the cost of living skyrockets (petrol and groceries, we’re looking at you!), we are all looking for ways to trim the extra fat from our household budgets.
According to information from a recent study by the finance website Mozo, Aussies may be overpaying by as much as 58 per cent a year for their broadband connection.
So, what can we do to reduce our internet bills if we're paying too much?
If you live alone or with only one or two other people, a cheaper NBN option might work for you. Credit: Whiddon.
Tom Godfrey, a spokesperson for Mozo, believes that comparing different broadband plans is the most important step to reducing unnecessary expenses.
In his view, the most crucial things to watch out for are the contract type, upload and download speeds, and, of course, cost.
"If you choose a standard plus NBN 50 plan, you can save up to $1194 over the course of the next 12 months compared to the most expensive plan," he said, adding, "There are also significant savings for fast NBN 100 plans, saving $554, and for ultra-fast NBN 250 plans, saving about $1030."
"So, whichever NBN category you choose, there is money to be saved by comparing plans and switching to the most competitive offer."
Godfrey also brought up the fact that a lot of Aussies are paying for the most expensive tier of NBN speed when a lower one might be able to meet their requirements just as well.
"As a rough guide, 50 megabits per second would be great for a household of one or two people," he said.
"If you're just at home watching TV or maybe streaming music, but say in a larger home like mine where everyone is on multiple screens, 100 megabits per second, which allows people to stream TV and play games at the same time, is probably a better option."
Godfrey also emphasised to his audience the importance of flexibility when picking an internet service provider. The days of long-term lock-in contracts are largely over, which is fantastic if you want to shop around for a better deal.
A growing trend in home broadband access is wireless 5G internet, which is also one of the least expensive options.
"We discovered that the least expensive 5G home broadband plan was $824.89 (per year), making it one of the most affordable options available. The most expensive plan was $1968," he said.
It might be faster and less expensive to switch from NBN to 5G at home. Credit: baloon111/Getty Images/iStockphoto.
The Mozo Expert Choice Broadband Awards for 2022 is a list that has been meticulously compiled by the company's team of technical experts in order to help Australian consumers decide on their next broadband provider.
And much to the company's surprise, the major winners turned out to be mostly unheard-of brands.
These are the companies that were successful in winning awards:
- Flip was named Broadband Provider of the Year.
- Belong won awards in both the Standard (NBN 25) and Fast (NBN 100) categories.
- MyRepublic received honours for winning in the categories of Super Fast (NBN 250), Ultra Fast (NBN 1000), and Creator (NBN 100/40).
- Mate received recognition in the categories of Creator (NBN 100/40) and Super Fast NBN (250mps).
- Occom won awards for both Boost (NBN 25) and Boost Plus (NBN 250) in the Standard (NBN 25) and Standard Plus (NBN 250) categories (NBN 50).
Check out the home page for Mozo's broadband service if you are interested in learning more about how you can compare energy deals and find the best deals for your household. We also recommend checking out CHOICE's broadband ratings, because they don’t (as far as we know) receive any ‘kickbacks’ from broadband providers for recommending their services.
If you're interested in speeding up your internet connection without spending any more money or changing plans, you might find the video below has a couple of helpful tips.
Credit: Aussie Broadband.
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