Top 5G home internet plans

What is 5G home internet?

5G home internet uses the mobile network to connect you to the internet. So if your phone gets good reception and your address is covered by 5G, it's actually a good option to consider.

In fact, 5G home internet is what's come to be known as an alternative to the NBN. There are no wires, either copper or fibre-optical cable and no installation required as such.

All you have to do is plug in the modem supplied by the provider, pop in a SIM card into the modem itself and voila, you're online!

Is 5G home internet better than the NBN?

This will depend on where you're based. Sometimes it can be a good alternative to the NBN but on the whole, fixed-line NBN connections are more reliable and widespread.

But let's run through some scenarios for when 5G home internet is a good option, and when it's not.

When 5G home internet is better than the NBN

• If you have an unreliable NBN connection and can't get fast speeds, or if you can't connect to the NBN at all. This is especially true for premises that aren't part of the NBN's footprint for a fibre upgrade to replace ageing copper.
• When you want cheaper internet or simply more options. For example, NBN 50 plans are the most popular among Aussies but have been getting more expensive since late 2023 following multiple price hikes.

When the NBN is better than 5G home internet

• If you want a super fast connection and you have access to FTTP or HTC, NBN is better than 5G.
• If you have crummy mobile reception at home, you're going to have crummy internet reception. Get NBN.
• If you want to pay as little as possible. There are cheaper NBN plans out there.
• If you're living in one house for a long time, home wireless doesn't have as many benefits.

Mariam Gabaji's tip

"I'm living in an apartment in Sydney that doesn't have access to NBN (shocker, right!). My choices on the Opticomm network are ridiculously limited so I can't really switch providers. But that's where 5G home internet has opened a few doors for me, especially since mobile network receptions have drastically improved at my address in the last year and I now also get 5G coverage. I've taken Optus 5G home internet for a spin and had zero issues with download speeds or poor reception. Plus, it was so easy to set up. I just had to pop in a SIM, plug in the modem and voilà, all good to go."

Mariam Gabaji

Editor I Tech and utilities expert

What's 5G home internet good for?

Home internet isn't good for everything. Most plans are limited to 50Mbps - 100Mbps, though some networks get higher. In any case, 50Mbps will suit households with 2 to 3 people using the net at the same time. However, there are some things 5G is better for:

• Browsing the web: Not gonna be an issue on 5G.
• Email and messaging: 5G home internet got you boo.
• Video Streaming: Light streaming will be fine. A couple of people on YouTube, TikTok or Netflix at the same time shouldn't be an issue. HD or 4k streaming might start to be a problem though.

• Online gaming: 5G technology has more issues with latency, or delays in communication. This doesn't matter for single player games, but it can seriously affect your ping (and thus your KD ratio).
• Work from home: For the same reason, 5G wireless can be a bit of a pain on video calls. With a good connection you'll be fine most of the time, but you may have more dropouts than you would with a wired connection.
• HD video streaming: On the Optus or Telstra networks you can get some really fast download speeds, north of 200 Mbps. But for most 5G networks the 100Mbps cap is going to limit the amount of HD and 4k streaming you can manage.

What 5G home internet speeds can you expect?

Most 5G home internet plans have their download speed capped at 50Mbps or 100Mbps, but this is getting higher all the time. For instance, Optus and Telstra have typical speeds above 200Mbps and 500Mbps respectively.

What speed is available will mostly depend on the provider's network and the plan you're on. Here are some of the top speeds available from 5G home internet provider:

While varying speeds are a factor in all internet connections, it's especially the case with 5G home internet. Speed can be affected by things such as:

• Coverage (i.e. distance and line of sight to the 5G tower)
• Location and quality of your modem
• Network congestion
• The weather

5G home internet providers in Australia

Here are the main 5G home internet providers currently in Australia. We're always seeing more coming into the market as coverage of the network expands throughout the country.

• Telstra
• Optus
• Vodafone
• TPG
• SpinTel
• iiNet
• Yomojo

Internode and Westnet used to offer 5G home internet, but they've stopped selling new policies, directing users to iiNet instead.

How can you get 5G internet?

Technically, the coverage map for 5G home internet should be similar to the 5G mobile coverage map, but this isn't always the case.

To see if you can access a 5G home internet plan, you'd need to see if you are in the coverage area. The best way to go about this is to type in your address on a provider's website. You should be given confirmation to continue signing up if you can access 5G home internet at your address.

New areas are being added all the time and some providers will allow you to sign up for notifications for when it becomes available at your address.

5G home internet alternatives

As the 5G network is still rolling out around the country, you may not be able to get 5G home internet even if you want to.

4G home internet

If you want to connect to the internet wirelessly, you could look at getting a 4G home internet connection. It is more readily available as the 4G network is accessible to over 95% of the population. 4G home internet delivers much slower download speeds than 5G. Expect typical evening download speeds of around 16-20Mbps.

Wired NBN internet

Another alternative to 5G home internet is to connect to the NBN. This is more widely available than 5G, available to over 12 million premises in Australia.

NBN fixed wireless

If you're unable to get a fixed line NBN connection, there might be an option for you to connect via NBN fixed wireless. This will see you have a radio antenna installed on your roof, which will carry the internet signal the last stretch to your home.

NBN Sky Muster Satellite

If you're really out there in the regions, NBN Sky Muster is now a real, usable option. Sky Muster uses satellites to beam the internet down to you from space. You can get speeds up to 50Mbps, with potentially unlimited data, for quite reasonable monthly prices.

Frequently asked questions

• Is 5G worth it for home internet?

  Australian 5G networks are some of the fastest in the world, which has made 5G home internet more viable than ever before. 5G speed are comparable with NBN speeds, especially on cheaper NBN plans. Plus, 5G home internet is a bit more flexible and easier to move home. There are some downsides though - maximum speeds are lower on 5G, and you'll experience a little more latency which can affect some online activities. So yes, 5G home internet is definitely worth it, assuming you're in a coverage area and the product suits your needs.

• Is 5G internet better than NBN?

  5G home internet isn't better or worse than NBN, it's just different. Both can reach download speeds of over 100Mbps for a relatively affordable amount of money. NBN is less suseptible to interference and provides lower latency, so is better for critical infrastructure or online gamers. On the other hand, 5G is easier to setup and move home with, assuming you're still in a coverage area. In short, they both have their uses.

• Can I get an unlimited 5G home internet plan?

  Yes, most providers that offer 5G home internet plans come with unlimited data.

• Can I use 5G home internet without a phone line?

  Yes, as 5G home internet works with the 5G mobile network, you don't need a phone line to use it. You will only need a 5G home internet modem and you should be able to connect right away.

Written by

Mariam Gabaji

Editor I Tech and utilities expert

Mariam Gabaji is an editor and tech and utilities expert at Finder with 12+ years of experience as a journalist. She's committed to helping households cut through the industry jargon and save money on their bills. Her expertise is often featured in media including the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, 7News, A Current Affair, The Guardian, SBS and Money Magazine. See full bio

Mariam's expertise

Mariam has written 305 Finder guides across topics including:

• Energy
• Mobile
• Broadband
• Consumer tech