NBN speeds explained

Speed is the headline feature of almost every home internet plan. But a plan's speed isn't a single number. There's the maximum speed of the tier you're on, the speed your provider says customers typically get in the evening, and the speed you actually see on your own devices. This guide explains the difference and how to use it.

Speed tiers

NBN plans are sold in speed tiers, usually described by a download and upload figure in megabits per second (Mbps). The tier sets the maximum speed of the service. Higher tiers cost more, and some faster tiers are only available on certain connection types, typically fibre to the premises and HFC. See our guide to NBN connection types.

The tier is a ceiling, not a promise. What you experience depends on your connection, your provider's network, the time of day and the equipment in your home.

Why the evening matters

Like roads, networks get busier at peak times. For home internet, the busiest time is the evening, when households are streaming, gaming and video calling. The ACCC's guidance says providers should advertise the typical speed of each NBN plan during the busy evening period of 7pm to 11pm.

This is the number to compare when you shop. A plan that looks fast on paper but slows down every night isn't much use if evenings are when you're online.

Typical evening speed

"Typical evening speed" is the download speed a provider says its customers on a plan typically get between 7pm and 11pm. It should appear in the plan's details. The ACCC says advertised speeds must be accurate and must not create a false impression. It notes that in the past some providers misled people by quoting maximum speeds that people couldn't get in real life.

Providers don't have to follow the ACCC's guidance, but they must follow the law and not make false or misleading claims.

The ACCC's speed labels

The ACCC's guidance includes four labels providers can use, each linked to a minimum busy-period download speed and a typical use:

• Basic Evening Speed: less than 15 Mbps, suited to web browsing and email.
• Standard Evening Speed: at least 15 Mbps, suited to HD video streaming plus web browsing.
• Standard Plus Evening Speed: at least 30 Mbps, suited to 4K video streaming plus music streaming.
• Premium Evening Speed: at least 60 Mbps, suited to 4K video streaming plus online gaming.

These labels describe one household's activity. If several people in your home stream, game and work online at once, you may want more headroom.

Download and upload

Download speed affects how quickly you receive data: loading pages, streaming video, downloading files. Upload speed affects how quickly you send data: video calls, uploading photos and backing up files. Most plans have much lower upload than download speeds. If you work from home, make lots of video calls or upload large files, check the upload figure too.

Mbps versus MB/s

Internet speeds are measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Many apps show download progress in megabytes per second (MB/s). A byte is eight bits, so a download running at 5 MB/s is moving at about 40 Mbps. If an app's number seems far below your plan, check which unit it's using.

What the ACCC measured

For several years, the ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia program tested the speeds of volunteer households at different times of day and published reports comparing providers. The ACCC says the program concluded in June 2026. Its broadband performance data shows that busy-hour fixed-line results in later reports were generally close to plan speeds on average, though individual services can vary, and some services were identified as underperforming. The data remains a useful reference when comparing providers.

When your line can't reach the plan speed

Some services can't reach the maximum speed of their tier because of technical limits, which the ACCC says are common on copper wiring and fixed wireless. Its guidance says providers should tell you about any limit on your maximum speed when you sign up or, if they only find out later, tell you immediately and offer an appropriate solution. That might include moving you to a cheaper, slower plan that matches what your line can deliver.

If you're on fibre to the node, the length and condition of the copper between the street cabinet and your home can make a big difference.

Things inside your home that slow you down

Often the bottleneck is in the house rather than the network:

• Wi-Fi. Walls, distance and interference can cut speeds sharply. Test close to the router, or better, with a cable.
• Old equipment. An older modem, router or device may not support higher speeds.
• Many devices. Everyone in the house shares the same connection.
• Background activity. Updates, cloud backups and streaming on other devices all use bandwidth.

Our guide to testing your internet speed explains how to get a fair reading.

If your speeds fall short

1. Test properly. Use a device connected to the modem by cable, with other devices idle, at different times including 7pm to 11pm. Keep a record. Our speed log helps.
2. Restart and check your equipment. Sometimes that's all it takes.
3. Contact your provider. Explain the problem, share your test results and ask them to investigate. The ACCC says your first step if you think you've been misled about speed is to contact the provider.
4. Escalate if needed. If the provider doesn't resolve it, you can contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. See complaints and the TIO.

Latency and why it matters

Speed isn't the only measure of a good connection. Latency is the delay between sending a request and getting a response, usually measured in milliseconds. Low latency matters for video calls, online gaming and anything that needs a quick back-and-forth. Fixed-line connections usually have lower latency than satellite, which has to send signals a long way into space and back. If you game or work on video calls, ask providers about latency as well as speed, and test it with the same tools you use for speed.

Speed and reliability

A plan's speed tells you how fast data can move when everything is working. It doesn't tell you how often the service drops out. If your connection keeps dropping, that's a fault to raise with your provider, regardless of your speed tier.

Upgrading or downgrading

If your household's needs change, you can usually change speed tiers with your provider. Moving to a faster tier may help if evenings are consistently congested in your home, while moving down may save money if you're paying for speed you don't use or your line can't reach. Check whether a change affects any contract or discount before you switch, and test again afterwards.

Key points

• Compare plans on typical evening speed, not just the tier.
• The ACCC treats 7pm to 11pm as the busy period for home internet.
• The ACCC's four labels range from Basic (under 15 Mbps) to Premium (at least 60 Mbps).
• Providers should tell you if your line can't reach the plan's maximum speed.
• Test with a cable, keep records and contact your provider if speeds are low.