NBN typical evening speed explained: what is it and why does it matter?

NBN logo positioned over image of light trail passing Sydney Harbour Bridge
(Image credit: NBN / ARDC)

If you've ever wondered what a "typical evening speed" is when searching for the best internet plans, you're not alone — and we're here to explain everything you need to know. 

Whether you're looking for the best NBN plans or a 5G home internet plan you'll be presented with a typical evening speed figure for each speed tier on offer. 

The typical evening speed figure is separate from the one reflected by the NBN speed tier you’re looking at — such as NBN 100, with a theoretical maximum download speed of 100Mbps — and is there to give you a clearer indication of how fast you can expect your connection to be during peak periods.

What does typical evening speed mean?

The typical evening speed figure refers to the realistic download speed you can expect from your NBN connection during the typical busy evening hours of 7pm – 11pm. This four hour window has long been identified as the period within which the majority of users are using the internet. 

Because of the increase in user traffic, your network connection may experience some congestion which can result in slower speed. Some NBN providers are able to deliver the full speed of whichever NBN plan you’re on, while some others will quote a lower typical evening speed compared to the speed you can achieve during off-peak hours.

Why does typical evening speed matter?

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

To be completely honest, the typical evening speed no longer matters as much as it once did. This is because many NBN providers are now able to deliver the full speed of the NBN plan you're signed up to (or come incredibly close to it), despite the increase in user traffic. 

However, it is still something worth looking out for, as you may find that one NBN plan delivering the full speed will be more expensive than another that falls just short. In this case, you’ll want to weigh up which is more important to you, outright speed or saving some money. 

Are NBN plan speeds guaranteed?

In a word, no. But to help provide greater transparency, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) publishes a quarterly report revealing the performance of the major telcos in Australia. 

The ACCC’s most recent report was published in June 2024 and had a dedicated section to show how well various telcos performed during the busy hours of 7pm - 11pm. 

The ACCC found that one of the 'big 3' telcos, Telstra, performed the best in the observed period, achieving an average of 102.3% of its advertised download speeds during busy hours. This increased by 0.7% to 103% across all hours. These figures indicate that Telstra customers experienced download speeds faster than those advertised during peak periods. 

Similarly, Optus performed well in the same period, averaging 101.7% of advertised speeds during busy hours and 102.8% across all hours. 

In terms of smaller ISPs, Leaptel recorded an average of 101.6% of its advertised plan download speeds during all hours. Exetel also performed well in the same report, averaging 102% of advertised plan speeds during busy hours and 102.8% across all hours. 

These figures indicate that you could actually achieve greater evening speeds than those advertised on your plan, but in most cases, telcos fall slightly short. 

The ACCC’s report also found that all other ISPs that were monitored fell short of delivering their advertised download speeds during the busy hours, with the 'worst' performing being Vodafone at 96.3%.

However, while this may not quite be 100%, you may not even notice a difference in the real world. 96% of the supposed 50Mbps download speed of an NBN 50 plan, for example, would be 48Mbps. The likelihood of you missing just 2Mbps is going to be slim.

But if you're an avid gamer who downloads multiple large game files, for example, then you're going to want the fastest possible speeds that fit within your budget. In this instance, you would likely want to seek out an NBN provider that advertises the maximum speeds of your plan during the busy evening hours.

What if the typical evening speed isn’t advertised?

Screenshot of three Tangerine NBN plans

(Image credit: Screenshot / Future)

All NBN providers are required to publish typical evening speed figures. If you don’t see one next to a particular NBN speed tier, then it is likely because the ISP doesn’t yet have enough data to formulate an answer.

You may be able to use published information for other speed tiers as an indicator of what to expect. It’s worth noting that with this particular example, no telco currently delivers the full 1,000Mbps speed. Swoop is currently the best provider on this tier, with a claimed 969Mbps download speed.

You also won't see a typical evening speed figure for wireless internet plans, as the ACCC has determined that telcos don't legally have to publish them. 

Which NBN providers have the best evening speeds?

We've only been able to pick out four providers that consistently advertise maximum typical evening speeds: Telstra, Optus, Spintel and Exetel. Other providers may advertise the maximum on NBN 50 plans, but fall short of the max on NBN 100 plans, for example. 

Currently, only nine NBN providers quote the maximum typical evening speeds on NBN 250 plans and no provider quotes it on an NBN 1000 plan

Lucy Scotting
Staff Writer

Lucy Scotting is a digital content writer for Tom’s Guide in Australia, primarily covering NBN and internet-related news. Lucy started her career writing for HR and staffing industry publications, with articles covering emerging tech, business and finance. In her spare time, Lucy can be found watching sci-fi movies, working on her dystopian fiction novel or hanging out with her dog, Fletcher.

Read more
Loading bars with various animals depicting internet speeds
What internet speed do I need? Here's how many Mbps is enough
Best speed test apps
Best speed test apps in 2025: Test your internet speeds
Conceptual image representing digital software VPN computing technology
Does a VPN slow down your internet connection?
Best fast VPN
The fastest VPN services in 2025
Starlink app
Starlink internet coverage, cost, speeds and the latest news — what you need to know
The MSI Roammii BE Lite dual-band mesh Wi-Fi 7 router on a table
Upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 is about to get more complicated — and these new routers are to blame
Latest in Internet
iPhone 15 Pro Max shown in hand
Apple just released emergency security update for flaw used in ‘extremely sophisticated’ attacks — update your iPhone, iPad and Mac right now
A person trying to set up a new Wi-Fi router
Thousands of TP-Link routers have been infected by a botnet to spread malware
ExpressVPN Lightway Turbo logo
Fast just got faster – introducing ExpressVPN's Lightway Turbo
An image of a CAPTCHA
Hackers are using reCAPTCHA to trick users into infecting their own PCs with malware — how to stay safe
A smartphone screen displaying the Android name and logo next to a sign reading 'MALWARE'.
Fake Google Play Store pages are spreading Trojan malware that can steal your financial data
ExpressVPN connected on Linux app
ExpressVPN launches huge Linux update – what you need to know
Latest in References
A woman lies in bed with her hands covering her face, looking upset due to sleep deprivation. A Tom's Guide Sleep Week 2025 graphic, bottom left
Long-term sleep deprivation has serious health risks — but they can be reversed, says expert
Project Astra AI agent
Project Astra — everything you need to know about Google's next-gen smart glasses and new AI assistant
Two people place a covered mattress in a van to move it to a new house
Which mattress brands offer old mattress removal?
Blonde woman laying on Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex mattress in bedroom with wooden floor, wooden bed base and two bedside tables
What is copper in a mattress and does your cooling mattress need it?
A couple laying on Bear Elite Hybrid mattress with Celliant in bedroom with black pattern rug, grey headboard and black bedside tables with lamps
What is Celliant and does your cooling mattress need it?
A hand presses into the Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress to test the temperature regulation and pressure relief
Is a memory foam mattress right for you? We break down the pros and cons