5G home internet plans: providers, speeds and 5G vs NBN
5G home internet can be faster than NBN, but only at some addresses. It uses a modem that connects to a mobile network's 5G towers instead of an nbn line, so speed depends on your signal and how busy the local tower is. As at 2 October 2026, the typical evening speeds providers publish for 5G home plans range from about 19 Mbps to 297 Mbps, which puts most of them alongside nbn 50 and nbn 100 plans and well short of the 500 Mbps-plus tiers on FTTP and HFC.
The providers we found selling 5G home internet plans on their own websites are Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG, iiNet and SpinTel, each at eligible addresses only. The product names differ: Telstra calls it 5G Internet, Vodafone 5G Home Internet, and TPG and iiNet 5G Home Broadband, and the category is also called home wireless broadband. It suits renters, people on slow FTTN lines and households that move often. This page compares their plans, explains how 5G compares with NBN on speed, reliability and cost structure, and shows how to test it before you commit.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
General information only. We don't compare every provider or plan in the market, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through our links.
How 5G home internet works
The provider sends you a 5G modem that you plug into a power point. It connects to the nearest 5G tower, like a phone does, and shares the connection around your home over Wi-Fi. There is no nbn installation, no technician and no connection box. You can usually be online as soon as the modem arrives.
Because it runs on a mobile network, 5G home internet is not part of the NBN. It is sold only at addresses the provider has checked for coverage and capacity, and most plans are locked to one address. Telstra, for example, says it has a limited number of services available per postcode.
Who sells 5G home internet in Australia
Three companies own mobile networks in Australia: Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom (which runs Vodafone). Every 5G home internet plan runs on one of them. These are the providers with a 5G home internet product on their own site as at 2 October 2026, with the typical evening speeds, data and modem terms they publish.
| Provider | Plans | Network | Typical evening download | Typical evening upload | Data | Contract and modem terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra | Basic, Essential and Premium 5G Internet | Telstra | 22, 43 and 297 Mbps (average busy period, 7-11pm) | 5, 15 and 35 Mbps | 1,000 GB a month, then slowed with no extra charge | No lock-in. Telstra Smart Modem included; if you cancel within 24 months, return it or pay a non-return fee |
| Optus | Optus Plus Everyday, Everyday Fast and Entertainer Superfast 5G | Optus | 50, 87 and 230 Mbps (typical busy period); the two lower plans are capped at 50 and 100 Mbps | 11, 15 and 20 Mbps | Unlimited | Month to month. Needs the Optus-supplied modem, free if you stay 36 months on a device payment plan; leave earlier and the remaining payments fall due |
| Vodafone | 5G Home Internet Basic, Plus and Premium | Vodafone (TPG Telecom) | 19, 50 and 100 Mbps; maximums of 20, 50 and 100 Mbps | 2, 16 and 18 Mbps | Unlimited | One-month minimum term. You must use Vodafone's modem, free if you stay 36 months; leave earlier and you pay the remaining modem cost unless you return it within 30 days |
| TPG | 5G Home Broadband Plus and Premium | TPG Telecom 5G network | 50 and 100 Mbps | 16 and 18 Mbps | Unlimited | No lock-in. You must use TPG's modem, free if you stay 36 months; leave earlier and a modem fee applies unless you return it within 21 days |
| iiNet | 5G Home Broadband Plus and Premium | TPG Telecom 5G network | 50 and 100 Mbps | 16 and 17 Mbps | Unlimited | No lock-in. You must use iiNet's modem, free if you stay 36 months; leave earlier and a modem fee applies unless you return it within 21 days |
| SpinTel | 5G Unlimited (two speed options) | Not stated for 5G (its terms name the Optus 4G network) | 50 and 240 Mbps (typical busy period) | Not published on its plan page | Unlimited | Month to month with no setup fee. Rent the modem monthly or buy it outright |
Aussie Broadband and Superloop don't sell 5G home internet
Some lists include them, but as at 10 October 2026 neither has a 5G home internet product on its own site. Aussie Broadband's nearest product is a data-only mobile broadband SIM on the Optus network, which is a portable data service rather than a home plan. Superloop sells Fixed Wireless Wave, a millimetre-wave service on its own network that it says is only available in Adelaide.
Is 5G home internet faster than NBN?
It depends on which NBN connection you compare it with. Most 5G home plans are capped or tuned to deliver speeds similar to nbn 50 or nbn 100, and the fastest published typical evening speed we found was 297 Mbps. On FTTP and HFC, nbn's tiers now run from 500 Mbps to 2,000 Mbps, so a fibre or HFC home on a fast tier will usually get more speed from NBN.
The comparison flips on a slow FTTN line. If your copper line can only manage 30 or 40 Mbps, a 5G plan at an address with strong signal can be faster, with no need to wait for a fibre upgrade. The same applies to FTTB apartments, which can't yet get the individual fibre upgrade.
Upload speeds are usually modest on 5G home plans. Most published typical evening upload speeds sit between 11 and 20 Mbps, similar to nbn 50; the lowest is 2 Mbps (Vodafone's Basic plan) and the highest 35 Mbps (Telstra's Premium plan). If you send large files or stream video for work, compare upload speeds too.
Is 5G home internet fast enough for streaming, gaming and video calls?
For streaming and video calls, usually yes. Netflix recommends 15 Mbps for a 4K stream and 5 Mbps for Full HD, YouTube recommends 20 Mbps for 4K, and Zoom says a 1080p video call needs 3.8 Mbps up and 3.0 Mbps down. Every plan in the table publishes a typical evening download speed of 19 Mbps or more, so even the slowest can carry a 4K Netflix stream, and the 50 Mbps-plus plans leave room for several streams and calls at once.
Check two things before you rely on it. Upload speed matters for video calls: Vodafone's Basic plan publishes 2 Mbps up in the evening, below the 3.8 Mbps Zoom recommends for 1080p but enough for a one-on-one 720p call (1.2 Mbps). Latency, the delay that fast online games notice, varies with your signal and how busy the tower is, and TPG's Critical Information Summary says its 5G plan may not suit time-sensitive games such as multiplayer shooters. If you game competitively, test in the evening before you give up a fixed line.
5G home internet and NBN compared
The biggest difference is consistency. An NBN fixed line gives you a dedicated connection whose speed is mostly set by your tier and line; a 5G connection shares a tower with phones and other homes, so it moves with the signal and the crowd.
| 5G home internet | Fixed-line NBN | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Plug in a modem; no technician or nbn equipment | Uses the nbn connection at the address; a new connection may need an nbn appointment |
| Top typical evening speed (Oct 2026) | Up to 297 Mbps published; most plans 19-100 Mbps | Tiers up to 2,000 Mbps on FTTP and HFC; up to 100 Mbps on FTTN, FTTC and FTTB |
| Consistency | Varies with signal, distance, obstructions, weather and tower congestion | Mostly set by the tier and, on copper, the line; the ACCC measured 99.4% of plan speed on average in busy hours |
| Availability | Eligible addresses only, often limited numbers per area | Every address in the fixed-line footprint |
| Moving house | Plan is usually tied to one address; check eligibility at the new one | Move the plan to the new address's nbn connection |
| Latency for gaming and calls | Varies with signal and tower load | Steadier, especially on FTTP and HFC |
5G or Fixed Wireless in regional areas?
In regional areas, check whether your address can get nbn Fixed Wireless before you choose 5G. Fixed Wireless is part of the NBN: an antenna fixed to your roof points at an nbn tower, and eligible premises can order Fixed Wireless Home Fast (up to 250 Mbps) or Superfast (up to 400 Mbps), for which nbn publishes peak-hour wholesale maximums of 187 and 357 Mbps. 5G home internet shares a mobile tower with phones and is only sold where the provider has spare capacity. Our guide to Fixed Wireless plans and providers compares who sells each tier and the evening speeds they publish.
What are the disadvantages of 5G home internet?
The providers' own fine print lists most of them. Telstra says speeds are affected by distance and line of sight between the tower and the modem, the number of users online, weather and congestion; Optus names signal, proximity, line of sight, congestion, geography and obstructions. The main downsides are:
- Evening speeds that vary more than a fixed line, because you share the tower with mobile users.
- Availability only at eligible addresses, sometimes with a limited number of connections per area.
- Some plans fall back to 4G when 5G is unavailable: Vodafone and TPG say their modems default to 4G if the 5G network is unavailable, which is slower.
- Lower priority when the network is busy on some plans. TPG's CIS says that during congestion some data traffic will receive less priority.
- A data limit on some plans. Telstra's 5G plans include 1,000 GB a month, after which speeds are slowed until the next billing month; the other providers in the table list unlimited data.
- Modem terms of up to 36 months, with a charge if you leave early and keep the modem.
Is it worth getting 5G home internet?
It is worth considering if your NBN option is slow (a long FTTN line, FTTB in an older building), if you rent and move often, if you want to avoid an nbn installation, or if a provider's typical evening speed at your address beats the NBN plan you would otherwise buy.
It is less compelling if you are on FTTP or HFC and want 500 Mbps or more, if you game competitively or rely on steady video calls, or if your address has patchy 5G. Check the provider's coverage for your exact address, not just your suburb.
How to test 5G home internet before you commit
Most 5G home plans are month to month, so the risk is mainly the modem. Before you sign up, check the Critical Information Summary for what you pay if you leave early and whether returning the modem avoids it. Then, in the first days:
- Put the modem near a window facing the tower, and try a couple of spots; the modem's app or lights usually show signal strength.
- Test speed at different times, including between 7pm and 11pm, with a device connected by cable if the modem has a port.
- Try the things you actually do: a video call, a 4K stream, a game.
- Keep your NBN service running until you are sure, if you are switching from NBN. Cancelling it first could cost you a home phone number.
Can a 5G router replace my home internet?
Yes, a 5G home internet plan can fully replace an NBN plan at an eligible address, and some households use it that way. What it can't do is give you the steadiness of a fibre line, and a phone line on 5G home internet depends on the provider offering one. If you are unsure, read about how to switch NBN provider, compare NBN speeds and tiers, and check whether your address could get a free fibre upgrade instead.
General information only. We don't compare every provider or plan in the market, and we may earn a commission if you sign up through our links.
What to watch for
- Address eligibility. A plan sold for your suburb may not be available at your exact address.
- Modem terms of 24 to 36 months. Check what you pay if you leave early and whether you can return the modem instead; NBN plans' free-modem terms compared are usually shorter.
- Speed caps. Several plans are capped at 20, 50 or 100 Mbps, so the plan, not the network, may be the limit.
- Signal inside your home. Modem placement makes a big difference; test before you give up another service.
Common questions
Is 5G home internet faster than NBN?
Sometimes. As at 2 October 2026, published typical evening speeds for 5G home plans ranged from about 19 to 297 Mbps, so 5G can beat an FTTN line or an nbn 50 plan at an address with strong signal. It rarely matches FTTP or HFC on the 500 Mbps-plus tiers, and its speeds vary more.
Is 5G home internet fast enough for streaming?
For most households, yes. The slowest 5G home plan we found publishes a typical evening download speed of 19 Mbps, above the 15 Mbps Netflix recommends for one 4K stream, and most plans publish 50 Mbps or more. If you also make video calls, check the upload speed: Zoom recommends 3.8 Mbps up for a 1080p call.
Is it worth getting 5G home internet?
It is worth it if your NBN option is slow, you rent or move often, or a provider's typical evening speed at your address beats the NBN plan you would buy. It is less worth it on FTTP or HFC if you want fast, steady speeds for gaming or video calls.
What are the disadvantages of 5G home internet?
Speeds vary with signal, distance, obstructions, weather and congestion; plans are only sold at eligible addresses; some modems fall back to 4G when 5G is unavailable; some plans have a monthly data limit; and modem terms can run up to 36 months with a charge if you leave early.
Who sells 5G home internet in Australia?
As at 2 October 2026, Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG, iiNet and SpinTel all had 5G home internet plans on their websites. Every plan runs on the Telstra, Optus or TPG Telecom (Vodafone) mobile network, and all are sold at eligible addresses only.
Why is my 5G home internet slow?
The usual causes are modem placement, distance or obstructions between the modem and the tower, the modem falling back to 4G, a plan speed cap, a monthly data limit you have passed, or congestion on the tower in the evening. Try moving the modem near a window, check the signal in the modem's app, and test at different times.
Speeds and plans change
The providers, typical evening speeds, data and modem terms in the table were taken from each provider's own website or Critical Information Summary on 2 October 2026. Providers change plans and speeds often, so confirm them before you buy.