Exetel reveals 300GB, 100Mbps NBN plan for $70

52

news Second-tier Australian ISP Exetel has launched a 300GB National Broadband Network pricing plan at 100Mbps for just $70 a month just a week after being criticised for having low top-end plans and undercutting rivals such as iiNet and Internode in the process.

A week ago Exetel radically slashed the number of NBN plans it offered customers, as well as cutting prices and limiting the total monthly download quota on any plan to 150GB. With its new plan structure, Exetel only offers between one and three options for each of the four tiers of download speeds (12Mbps, 25Mbps, 50Mbps and 100Mbps) which the NBN allows, as well as an additional two plans for a 25Mbps plan with higher upload speeds (10Mbps).

At the time, Delimiter wrote that many customers would not be happy with the total download quotas which the ISP was offering customers. The company previously offered a 200GB download quota on its top plans, but it had simply deleted that tier of its pricing plans, with customers at that stage being offered a maximum of 150GB quota per month. Customers who exceed their quota each month will have their connections shaped to 1Mbps speeds — which can be as slow as 1 percent of their normal speeds, if they’re on a 100Mbps plan.

The limitation comes in stark contrast to plans offered by other ISPs, with Internode, iiNet and Optus all offering terabyte packages and other tiers with multiple hundreds of gigabytes of download quota. It’s common now for ISPs even when it comes to ADSL or HFC cable broadband to offer plans with several hundred gigabytes for prices under $100. iiNet, for example, offers a 100Mbps NBN plan with a download quota of 500GB on- and 500GB off-peak.

To redress some of these problems, the company this week added a new 300GB plan at 100MBps for just $70 a month.

The plan significantly undercuts an identical plan offered by Internode by $24.95 a month, and is also cheaper than a $79.95 plan offered by iiNet, which runs at 100Mbps speeds but comes with 100GB of on- and off-peak quota (for a total of 200GB). Optus doesn’t offer a 300GB NBN plan, but Exetel’s 300GB option costs the same as Optus’ 150GB plan, which is split up into 75GB on- and off-peak chunks. In general, it makes Exetel one of the most competitive NBN providers for the mid-tier market, which is believed to make up the majority of broadband users.

opinion/analysis
National Broadband Network plans are getting awesome. 100Mbps speeds with 300GB of downloads, all for $70 a month? Yes, please. I can see many Australians hopping on board that train — with a vengeance.

As I wrote last week, not only does this new Exetel change — yet again — invalidate the Coalition’s argument that broadband prices will be more expensive on the NBN than in the current ADSL broadband market, but it also illustrates that the NBN market will be an extremely dynamic one, with ISPs changing their broadband prices regularly. We have yet to see a better outline of its more stable, eventual shape, and likely won’t for another several years. But Exetel’s new plans are a great start.

52 COMMENTS

  1. So in other words, it is ~$10 cheaper than my current ADSL2+ plan, 100Gb more quota and 20x faster quoted speed.

    Roll on.

  2. Dear internode,

    Unless you can match this I’ll be jumping ship to Exetel when NBN rolls out in my area later this year.

    Sincerely

    Daniel

    • Internode will never price match Exetel.

      The two companies are like chalk and cheese.

      If you want a budget plan, go to the budget carrier. If you want quality plans, go with the quality carrier.

      • It’s NBN dude, the infrastructure is the same, level playing field. All the tech works the same irrespective of what carrier you’re with.

        The way I see it – with this plan my quota management issues of 60gig/month go out the window therefore the benefits such as quota free content etc by being with a premium carrier like Internode don’t matter as much to be, they aren’t appealing anymore.

        All of a sudden the only difference betwen them and say Exetel are quality of customer service in which I am lucky to call once a year. Internode CS is pretty good and I’ve never used Exetel before so i can’t judge.

        I’d happily take the risk switching if ya wanna call it a risk at all.

        • It’s NBN dude, the infrastructure is the same, level playing field.

          yes the back end infrastructure is the same but once you reach the POI and hit the RSP’s gear you’re in their playing field.

        • This is not strictly the case, several reasons.

          a) As Looktall said, once you get onto the ISPs network side of the POI, their infrastructure makes a difference.
          b) The more CVC charges an ISP pays for, the more bandwidth an ISP has to share between customers using the network simultaneously. Cheaper ISPs will tend to skimp on contention ratios.
          c) Internode typically provides a lot of content with the connection rather than a bare bones service. File mirrors, games servers, usenet (at least at the moment), streaming video etc

          • a) As Looktall said, once you get onto the ISPs network side of the POI, their infrastructure makes a difference.
            b) The more CVC charges an ISP pays for, the more bandwidth an ISP has to share between customers using the network simultaneously. Cheaper ISPs will tend to skimp on contention ratios.

            I would be interesting to see what impact this would have on a 100Mbit connection. Lets say worse case scenario it reduces my connection to 70-75Mbit, honestly thats still incredible speed.

            c) Internode typically provides a lot of content with the connection rather than a bare bones service. File mirrors, games servers, usenet (at least at the moment), streaming video etc

            This wouldn’t bother me in the slightest with 300gig to play with :)

          • I think you are being very hopeful estimating 70-75Mbs, you may be able to get this on multiple similtaneous streams. I think of you get over 6Mbs on an international site with a budget isp you would be doing really well.

      • So who’s the budget ISP? Internode or Exetel? You didn’t make that clear.
        I’ll take a guess that you’re referring to Exetel.
        Apart from comparing plans, also look at restrictions, quality of service, tech support, phone support and you’ll soon change your mind.
        Just because they have cheaper plans, don’t make them budget.

  3. What say you Mr Turnbull? I guess these are still just artifically priced plans that don’t represent future pricing right?

    Back to reality – This plan is simply awesome. When compared to my current Internode ADSL2 plan (real world speed of 16mbps) where I also pay line rental, this plan works out $20 cheaper with twice the download quota at 6 times the speed. That’s pretty good value in my books!

  4. Sounds great, but how do you tell when the NBN will get rolled out to a particular location? This plan beats the hell out of my 120GB Optus Cable plan for $79 per month.

  5. Why get all excited about these plans when “most” will not see any fibre in the street for a considerable period?

  6. This is great PR for the NBN project, a simple metric that average users can understand: “100Mbps, 300GB, $70”. The question starts to become “When can I get it?” vs. all the usual FUD.

  7. Mr. Turnbull would probably reply this morning with two things:

    -4 Corners
    -Newspoll

    Once even the ABC and Fairfax writers have turned on the ALP, it’s game over for them and sadly, the NBN IMHO. Time will tell.

  8. Yep – 100Gb more and about 25 times faster than the best speed I can achieve on Telstra ADSL2+.

    All this for $19.99 cheaper!

    C’Mon NBN!!!

  9. Malcohm Turnbull, over to you. Please explain how the NBN prices are going to be higher for consumers? Admit you are spreading FUD, oh yeah, forgot, you’re a polly, they’re all the same.

    • It’s impossible for them to offer 300G for that price. CVC at $20 per Mb means that plan will cost them:
      300 (300G)
      times 1000 (Mbit)
      times $20
      that’s $3,000,000

      Well, it’s complete bolox but someone will claim it.

      • The only thing that is complete bollocks about that is your calculations.

        a) It’s 100Mbps, not 1000Mbps.
        b) It’s not $20/Mb, its $20/Mbps (per month) on each POI.
        c) ISPs don’t buy bandwidth to cover all customers maxing their connections at once, that never happens.

        • i believe that was Noddy’s point.

          the confusion people suffer from over the different between a lower case letter and an upper case letter will probably result in someone saying what he said as a fact rather than as a sarcastic remark.

          • Lets not forget that they work in the IT industry* so they KNOW the truth.

            For me, its $20 a month more than what I pay, for 16 times faster than the real speeds I get now, and 100G more a month. But I also pay $20 a month for line rental, so its effectively the same cost. For 16 times the speed, and 100G more.

            Oh, and NBN is getting rolled out mid year where I live. Bring it on!

            Theres a large push on rollouts in the Illawarra region this year. Kiama was the 2nd site rolled out, and is expanding. 3 exchanges in reasonably high density residential areas are also getting rolled out this year for 20k-30k total premises. Once they are all rolled out, I think it will be a real example of how the NBN is going to be received in the general community.

            I think Exetel has an ADSL connection in most of those exchanges too, so should be a simple process to move to their NBN plans…

            *on a helpdesk. Doing password resets…

          • When I hear someone say they are in IT or they are an IT professional, rather than stating what they actually do, I just assume they change printer cartridges or something.

  10. I don’t know, I’m a bit scared of a plan that might only last the first 8 hours of a month.

  11. And the satellites for the bush are a real win for our rural communities.
    Is that the sound of politicians being trampled in the rush of every voter to get better value broadband?

  12. From someone who lives in a wealthy, well established locale and still cant get onto ADSL2+ (lack of ports blah blah), with only ADSL1 on RIM being offered by anyone, I simply can’t wait for the NBN rollout.

    WIMAX does the job, but its pathetic that I have no choice in what internet I can have. I don’t live in the bush btw, this is Fremantle, WA. A major population centre just outside a capital city, in one of the richest states in Australia. Anyone that thinks Australia’s broadband infrastructure is up the job and wireless will pave the way for the future needs to live under these conditions for 4 years and wake the fudge up… It’s a bloody joke.

    And no, ADSL1 on RIM is not even an option, don’t make me laugh.

    • A word of caution. I too live in a high socioeconomic area, but can only get ADSL1 currently, similar to Tb. Don’t assume you will be getting FTTP – I thought I was until I got a letter about a tower going up next door! Fixed wireless is only 12Mbps – hardly comparible to the FTTP rollout (and not much, if any, better than my ADSL)! Check what your suburb is getting before getting excited about the NBN!

  13. All I hear is dynamic pricing, because nobody knows what it will be like when the NBN becomes reality for most consumers. At least it’s dynamic in a consumer-wins way, hopefully it continues in that trend!

    And it’s always nice to tell politicians “we told you so”.

  14. Unfortunatley, we all get excited about this, however I would argue that the NBN (which I personally support) is going to be most likely cancelled in the next 18 months.

    It’s a sad thing really. But no one really beleives Labor are going to have another term in government at the next election. I’m a Liberal voter (in a safe Liberal seat that is currently getting the NBN – Toowoomba), howver the NBN is the one thing that will likely make me vote Labor.

    If the Liberals would just accept the NBN for being a relatively good policy as is – it’d be a good world I reckon.

    Oh well, at least the joy can be short lived. The voting masses mostly read news.com.au/the australian, and NBN sentiment is not good.

    The NBN really need to do some simple animated commercials (free of political spin) just to put down a lot of FUD. Otherwise the FUD will just keep taking over – just read most comments about “labor waste”. People bundle the pink batts/carbon tax/NBN in the same sentances… all negative.

    A real shame..

  15. (1) Noddy, you’re an idiot.

    (2) “If you want a budget plan, go to the budget carrier. If you want quality plans, go with the quality carrier.” What’s the difference in the post ADSL/copper world, when you’re being served delicious, fat fibre?

    • (1) It was sarcasm

      (2) “What’s the difference in the post ADSL/copper world, when you’re being served delicious, fat fibre?”
      Service, backhaul speed, contention to POI due to amount of CVC purchased, extra features like freezones, etc.

  16. 1. Why the unnecessary insult to Noddy?

    2. Price, customer service, download quota, speed and additional services like IPTV are all determining factors when choosing an ISP and plan. No matter what the technology used. I would have thought that was fairly obvious.

  17. Where exactly is the statement “Second Tier” justified or defined as used in this article?

    Who else does the author consider “Second Tier”? Who falls into the adjacent tiers?

    • Who else does the author consider “Second Tier”? Who falls into the adjacent tiers?

      i’m pretty sure half of the commenters of delimiter would fall into the category.

    • It is commonly regarded that Telstra, Optus, iinet and TPG are the first tier providers.

Comments are closed.