NBN Fixed Wireless plans: providers, speeds and how it works
nbn Fixed Wireless is part of the NBN: instead of a cable, it uses hybrid 4G/5G technology to send data by radio from an nbn tower to an antenna fixed to your roof. nbn lists 42 providers that sell Fixed Wireless plans. Of those we checked on 2 October 2026, Aussie Broadband, Superloop, SkyMesh and MATE sell the faster Home Fast (up to 250 Mbps) and Superfast (up to 400 Mbps) tiers, Telstra sells two faster speed options it calls Premium and Ultimate, and TPG and Swoop sell only the slower tiers.
Fixed Wireless serves around 800,000 premises, mostly in regional areas. The faster tiers arrived with a $750 million upgrade finished in 2024 and are only available at eligible premises. This page compares the providers' tiers and published evening speeds, explains how Fixed Wireless works, and covers how it compares with 5G home internet, Sky Muster and Starlink.
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.
Who sells nbn Fixed Wireless plans
These are the Fixed Wireless plans we could check in full on each provider's own site and Critical Information Summary. The column to compare is the typical evening speed: the same Home Fast tier is published at 160 Mbps by Aussie Broadband and Superloop and at 90 Mbps by MATE.
| Provider | Fixed Wireless tiers sold | Typical evening download/upload (Mbps) | Data | Minimum term | Modem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | Plus, Home Fast and Superfast | 80/9, 160/10 and 210/12 | Unlimited | One month | Bring your own, or buy one outright |
| Superloop | Plus, Home Fast and Superfast | 80/12, 160/12 and 250/15 | Unlimited | One month | Free modem option if you stay 24 months |
| MATE | Plus, Home Fast and Superfast (sold as 100/20, 250/20 and 400/40) | 48/8, 90/8 and 95/10 | Unlimited | No lock-in contract | Not stated on its plan page |
| SkyMesh | Plus, Home Fast and Superfast (Wireless Plus, Fast and Superfast) | Not published yet: SkyMesh says it doesn't have enough data | Unlimited (fair use applies) | 30 days, no lock-in | Bring your own, or buy one |
| Telstra | Its own options: Standard, Plus, Premium and Ultimate | Plus averages 105/7; Telstra estimates 183/14 (Premium) and 298/20 (Ultimate) until it has test results | Unlimited | Month to month | Telstra Smart Modem; cancel within 24 months and you return it or pay a non-return fee |
| TPG | The 25 Mbps tier only (sold as NBN25) | 20/3.8 | Unlimited | No lock-in (30 days' notice to cancel) | Free if you stay 24 months, or bring your own for a data-only service |
| Swoop | 25/5 and Plus (100/20) | 25/5 and 75/10 | Unlimited | No lock-in | Swoop can supply one, or use your own |
NBN Fixed Wireless speed in the evening, by tier
nbn Fixed Wireless speed depends on the tier and the provider: in the evening, providers publish typical downloads of 48 to 105 Mbps on Fixed Wireless Plus, 90 to 160 Mbps on Home Fast and 95 to 250 Mbps on Superfast. The ACCC measured Home Fast at an average of 160.5 Mbps in busy hours in its final report.
| Tier | nbn's maximum wholesale speed in the peak hour | Typical evening download published by providers |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Wireless Plus | 100/14 | 48 (MATE) to 80 (Aussie Broadband, Superloop); Telstra says its Plus averages 105 |
| Fixed Wireless Home Fast | 187/15 | 90 (MATE) to 160 (Aussie Broadband, Superloop) |
| Fixed Wireless Superfast | 357/25 | 95 (MATE) to 250 (Superloop) |
How Fixed Wireless works
An nbn technician mounts an outdoor antenna on your home, pointed at a nearby nbn tower, and installs an nbn connection box inside. Your modem or router plugs into the connection box. Unlike a mobile phone, the antenna is fixed and dedicated to the NBN, and each tower serves a set area rather than whoever happens to pass by.
Because it is a radio link, Fixed Wireless shares capacity between the homes connected to each tower. That is why nbn publishes separate "peak hour" wholesale speeds for the faster tiers, and why your evening speed can differ from your daytime speed.
The 2024 Fixed Wireless upgrade
nbn upgraded the Fixed Wireless network through a $750 million investment, rolled out in three phases that finished in June, October and December 2024. It extended the range of towers from 14 km to up to 29 km where possible, gave more than 120,000 premises that were previously on satellite access to Fixed Wireless for the first time, and grew the Fixed Wireless coverage area from about 220,000 to 345,000 square kilometres.
The upgrade also added two faster tiers, Fixed Wireless Home Fast and Fixed Wireless Superfast, for eligible premises, and lifted Fixed Wireless Plus from up to 75/10 Mbps to up to 100/20 Mbps.
Fixed Wireless speed tiers: Fixed Wireless Plus, Home Fast and Superfast
nbn publishes both a potential maximum speed and a maximum wholesale speed in the peak hour (7pm to 11pm) for its faster Fixed Wireless tiers. The peak-hour figure is the more useful guide to your evenings.
| Tier | Potential download / upload | Maximum wholesale peak hour | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Wireless Superfast | Up to 400 / 10-40 | 357/25 | Eligible premises only |
| Fixed Wireless Home Fast | Up to 200-250 / 8-20 | 187/15 | Eligible premises only |
| Fixed Wireless Plus | Up to 100 / 20 | 100/14 | Fixed Wireless footprint |
| Fixed Wireless Basic II | 25/5 | 25/5, including in peak hours | Fixed Wireless footprint |
| Fixed Wireless Basic I | 12/1 | 12/1, including in peak hours | Fixed Wireless footprint |
What Fixed Wireless delivers in practice
The ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia program tested Fixed Wireless before it ended in June 2026. Its final report measured Fixed Wireless Home Fast services at an average of 160.5 Mbps download and 12.6 Mbps upload in busy hours. That is well below the tier's 250 Mbps potential but still faster than most copper NBN connections can manage.
The ACCC extended its speed advertising guidance to Fixed Wireless in 2019, so providers should show a typical busy-hour speed for their Fixed Wireless plans as they do for fixed-line plans. Compare that figure between providers, and ask about the tower serving your address if your neighbours report slow evenings.
Is Fixed Wireless the same as NBN?
Yes. Fixed Wireless is one of nbn's own access technologies, sold through the same providers under the same rules as fixed-line NBN plans. It is not the same as 5G home internet from Telstra, Optus or Vodafone, which runs over their mobile networks and is not part of the NBN. You can't choose Fixed Wireless over a fixed line; nbn sets the technology for each address, and its address checker will tell you what yours is.
Fixed Wireless vs 5G home internet: what's the difference?
Both use radio, which is why they get confused. The difference is whose network it is and who shares the tower:
| nbn Fixed Wireless | 5G home internet | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | nbn's own towers; part of the NBN | A mobile network (Telstra, Optus or TPG Telecom); not part of the NBN |
| Equipment | An antenna fixed to your roof and an nbn connection box, installed by nbn | A 5G modem you plug in indoors |
| Who shares the tower | Fixed Wireless customers in the tower's area | Mobile phone users as well as home internet customers |
| Fastest tier or plan | Superfast, up to 400 Mbps at eligible premises; providers publish up to 250 Mbps in the evening | Providers publish up to 297 Mbps in the evening; most plans 19-100 Mbps |
| Who sells it | 42 providers on nbn's list | Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, TPG, iiNet and SpinTel, at eligible addresses |
How to choose a Fixed Wireless plan
Fewer providers sell Fixed Wireless than fixed-line NBN, and not all of them offer the Home Fast and Superfast tiers. Start with the table above, then compare your shortlist on the same points as any NBN plan:
- The typical busy-hour speed each provider quotes for the tier, not the potential maximum.
- Whether Home Fast or Superfast is available at your address (they are for eligible premises only, and some need an equipment upgrade first).
- Upload speed, if you work from home or send large files; Fixed Wireless uploads are modest even on the fast tiers.
- Modem terms and the minimum cost in the Critical Information Summary.
- Support: in the country, how quickly faults get fixed often matters more than the last few Mbps.
Fixed Wireless compared with Sky Muster and Starlink
If you can get Fixed Wireless, it is usually a better experience than nbn's Sky Muster satellite: the signal travels a few kilometres to a tower rather than tens of thousands of kilometres to a geostationary satellite, so it has far less delay. The 2024 upgrade gave more than 120,000 premises that were on satellite access to Fixed Wireless.
Against Starlink, the comparison is closer and depends on your address. Starlink's low-orbit satellites also have low delay and can be fast, but you buy or rent the dish, the service is sold on Starlink's own terms, and it needs a clear view of the sky. Testing a no-lock-in plan is the most reliable way to find out.
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
- Tier availability. Home Fast and Superfast are only for eligible premises; check before you choose a provider.
- Peak-hour speed. Compare the provider's typical busy-hour figure, not the potential maximum; published figures for the same tier vary widely.
- Antenna position. Trees, new buildings or a damaged antenna can reduce performance; report changes to your provider.
- Power. The nbn connection box and your modem need mains power, so plan for outages if you rely on the internet for calls.
Common questions
Which providers sell NBN Fixed Wireless?
nbn lists 42 Fixed Wireless providers. Of those we checked on 2 October 2026, Aussie Broadband, Superloop, SkyMesh and MATE sell the Home Fast and Superfast tiers, Telstra sells faster options it calls Premium and Ultimate, TPG and Swoop sell slower tiers only, and iiNet, Tangerine, More and Activ8me also sell Fixed Wireless.
Does Aussie Broadband have a senior discount?
Yes, for customers aged 60 and over: Aussie Broadband sells seniors plans, an nbn 12 plan bundled with a home phone. But it says they aren't available on every nbn technology, and the plan's CIS lists FTTP, HFC, FTTC and FTTN, so Fixed Wireless homes should ask before signing up. See NBN plans for seniors for the other offers.
Is Fixed Wireless NBN any good?
For most regional homes, yes. After the 2024 upgrade, eligible premises can get up to 250 Mbps (Home Fast) or 400 Mbps (Superfast), and the ACCC measured Home Fast at an average of 160.5 Mbps download in busy hours. It has much less delay than geostationary satellite, although evening speeds can dip on busy towers.
Is Fixed Wireless as good as fibre?
Not quite. Fibre to the premises can take every nbn tier up to 2,000 Mbps, while Fixed Wireless tops out at Superfast, up to 400 Mbps at eligible premises, with nbn's peak-hour wholesale maximum at 357 Mbps. The ACCC measured Home Fast at 160.5 Mbps in busy hours, which beats many copper FTTN lines, but a radio link shares capacity in the evening in a way fibre doesn't. It is also different from 5G home internet, which shares a mobile tower and isn't part of the NBN.
Is Fixed Wireless the same as NBN?
Yes. It is one of nbn's own access technologies, sold by NBN providers like any other NBN plan. It is different from 5G home internet, which uses a mobile network.
Is NBN Fixed Wireless better than Starlink?
It depends on the address. Fixed Wireless is part of the NBN, needs no dish purchase and is sold by many providers; Starlink can be fast with low delay but needs a clear view of the sky and is sold on Starlink's terms. Compare the typical busy-hour speed of Fixed Wireless plans at your address with Starlink's own stated speeds, and try a no-lock-in plan first. See Starlink in Australia.
Which Fixed Wireless NBN plan is the best?
The one on the fastest tier your address can get and your budget allows, from a provider with a good typical busy-hour speed and support you trust. Published evening speeds for the same tier vary a lot between providers, so compare them in the table on this page.
How the provider table was checked
Every row was checked on the provider's own Fixed Wireless page and Critical Information Summary on 2 October 2026, and we re-check the table each quarter. The list isn't exhaustive, and we have no commercial arrangement with any provider named.