The best Australian internet service providers offer their customers two things: stellar service and seriously damn good value. While most ISPs we recommend at Tom's Guide do at least one of the two, it’s rare for a provider to get top marks for both. A new affordable NBN provider just landed on the scene and is trying exactly that — and it hails from a brand that's a heavyweight in Australia's internet landscape.
A subsidiary of Aussie Broadband (ABB), Buddy Telco has been launched as a budget-focused brand that delivers a no-frills approach to NBN plans. Buddy only made its official debut into the internet landscape last month, but it’s already shaking things up by offering the cheapest NBN 1000 plan on the market.
Much like similar offshoot providers — Telstra-owned Belong is another example — Buddy uses its parent company’s core infrastructure, meaning you get Aussie Broadband’s renowned network coverage, speeds and optimisations, but in a much more affordable package. In simple terms, Buddy costs less than ABB but delivers the same benefits, making it all the more appealing for those with tighter purse strings.
But Buddy does come with a minor catch — the telco exclusively provides NBN services, meaning it doesn't sell or supply hardware, such as Wi-Fi modems. There’s also no telephone customer support, so consumers need to log requests through an AI-powered live chat. Both of these factors are ways in which the telco passes on savings to consumers, but if you do need human assistance, you can request it through the telco's app or a browser.
Over the past month, we've seen an uptick in our readers signing up for the telco — and we assume this is due to the pricing being rather attractive at face value. That said, when we dissect the telco beyond the surface, the results are rather surprising.
We've assessed Buddy's four home internet plans — NBN 25, NBN 50, NBN 100 and NBN 1000 — and compared them to other providers' options across the tiers. From advertised speed claims to first-year pricing and more, here's a look into how Buddy Telco stacks up against its competitors.
How do Buddy's plans compare?
NBN 25
Speedwise, Buddy's Standard NBN 25 plan comes in just under the maximum of 25Mbps, advertising 1Mbps less. Most Aussie providers reach the full speed for this tier, but this minor speed discrepancy is unlikely to cause any real-world difference.
Buddy's NBN 25 plan is also one of the cheapest available for AU$65p/m ongoing, despite not having an introductory discount. There are only four providers that offer cheaper prices for an NBN 25 plan — Tangerine, Kogan, Flip and Exetel — with the cheapest provider being Flip, which has an ongoing price of AU$57.90p/m.
NBN 50
Arguably the most popular NBN tier available, most Aussie providers claim NBN 50 speeds range from 40 to 50Mbps. In this scenario, Buddy's advertised 49Mbps is good but not quite class-leading compared to most on this tier. With average speeds being 49.57Mbps, Buddy's plan does come with a teeny discrepancy, but that is unlikely to make much of a real-world speed difference. It also doesn't offer the full uploads expected with this tier, cutting speeds short of 4Mbps.
In terms of price, this plan is under the average of AU$82.50p/m, but it doesn't offer an introductory discount. Moreover, this plan costs AU$900 per year, which is reasonable, however, several providers come well under this yearly price tag and come paired with maximum advertised speeds.
NBN 100
Much like its parent company, Buddy advertises only 98Mbps during the busy evening hours, which is a mere 2Mbps off the magic triple-digit maximum. That said, the average speed for this tier is 98.25Mbps according to our research across ISPs that we monitor, so in this case, Buddy isn't too far off the mark.
Now, when it comes to monthly spend, Buddy's current introductory rate is rather attractive for an NBN 100 plan. On average, NBN 100 plans will set you back AU$91.34p/m, however, Buddy's outlay is an impressive AU$75p/m, before increasing to AU$85p/m after six months (which is still a stellar discount).
NBN 1000
When it comes to speed, Buddy's NBN 1000 plan promises 600Mbps, which is low compared to the theoretical maximums on this tier. However, only one provider — Swoop — reaches 969Mbps, whereas most others reach between 650Mbps and 850Mbps.
In terms of price point, however, this plan really shines, as it is the cheapest NBN 1000 plan currently available. Over the first year, you'll save a mammoth AU$390 compared to ABB's offering. When compared to another budget provider, SpinTel, you'll save AU$6p/m for similar speed claims.
