Telstra, Aussie, Optus on top: New report ranks broadband providers
New analysis ranks major broadband providers in Australia by measuring real user experiences.
Opensignal's June 2023 report looks at how top broadband providers in the country perform on fixed networks.
Telstra is number 1 for Broadband Consistent Quality
Telstra came out on top in the Broadband Consistent Quality category with just over 80% of user tests meeting the requirement. Aussie Broadband was second on 78.5%, just in front of Optus on 78.2%.
The category measured how well a network supports popular applications that are used every day, such as streaming HD video, group video calls and playing games.
It looked at factors including download and upload speed, and latency (or delays in data transfer).
The test was conducted during peak hours (4pm to 10pm) when most people are online.
Aussie Broadband tops download speeds
Aussie Broadband was in first place for both Broadband Download Speed (43.5Mbps) and Broadband Peak Download Speed (257.1Mbps).
The reason the Broadband Peak Download Speed figure is so high is because the peak download speed was measured amongst the top 2% of users with the highest speeds, so this is what they experienced.
| Provider | Broadband Download Speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | 43.5 |
| Optus | 40.5 |
| Telstra | 39.2 |
| Vodafone | 37.8 |
| TPG | 36.3 |
| Provider | Broadband Peak Download Speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | 257.1 |
| Optus | 143.7 |
| TPG | 136.6 |
| Vodafone | 135.9 |
| Telstra | 134.6 |
Optus has best Broadband Video Experience and top upload speeds
Optus gained the upper hand in upload speeds, with the top average upload speed of 11.8Mbps nationally.
Optus also managed to have the best Broadband Video Experienceable to stream video at 1080p or better with satisfactory loading times and little stalling.
| Provider | Broadband Video Experience |
|---|---|
| Optus | 73.8 |
| Telstra | 73.2 |
| TPG | 73.2 |
| Aussie Broadband | 72.3 |
| Vodafone | 71 |
| Provider | Broadband Upload Speed (Mbps) |
|---|---|
| Optus | 11.8 |
| Aussie Broadband | 10.6 |
| Telstra | 10.5 |
| TPG | 10.2 |
| Vodafone | 7.5 |
What is the Opensignal Fixed Broadband Experience report?
Known for their reports on mobile network coverage, this is the first time Opensignal has measured broadband experience on a national level.
Opensignal's measurements capture a broadband user's experience, regardless of the plan that they have purchased from their provider.
The providers covered in the report are Aussie Broadband, iiNet, Optus, Telstra, Vodafone and TPG, covering connections across NBN and home wireless broadband.
The Opensignal report measured across 6 categories:
- Broadband Success Rate
- Broadband Consistent Quality
- Broadband Video Experience
- Broadband Download Speed
- Broadband Peak Download Speed
- Broadband Upload Speed
How does this differ from the ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia report?
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission publishes a quarterly report, Measuring Broadband Australia.
The difference here is the ACCC report measures only fixed-line NBN connections, whereas the Opensignal report measures all kinds of broadband connections, including 4G and 5G home broadband.
Opensignal also only measured the largest brands by market share in each city, while the ACCC also includes smaller outfits such as Exetel and Launtel.
The ACCC's report mainly focuses on the reliability of download speeds, measuring how close providers deliver on their advertised speeds.
In the most recent ACCC's report, Launtel came out on top, followed by Exetel and Optus.
Is your service not measuring up? Maybe it's time to switch so check out our top picks for the best NBN plans for June 2023.