Internode NBN review

Customers holding on to Internode's well-earned brand loyalty will be happy to pay a premium for its NBN, but unless you're signing up for a six-month contract, its plans are far from competitive. Still, Internode is one of the few providers offering plans for every speed tier: NBN 12, NBN 25, NBN 50, NBN 100, NBN 250 and NBN 1000.

Internode's NBN 25 plans are typical value, costing what most providers charge, but even they are at the high end of the pricing spectrum, and its NBN 50 and NBN 100 are some of the most expensive on the market. Granted, Internode offers limited-time discounts that drop its more popular NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans to a more reasonable price, but those deals are only available to new customers for the first six months of use - plus, you're locked into a contract for that period.

Higher prices aside, Internode still consistently ranks as one of the most popular NBN providers in Australia. Here's how their NBN 50 plan stacks up against the competition.

There are also add-ons available including static IP add-ons from $10 and entertainment bundles. If you're a fan of Fetch, you can add a set-top box with 30 preselected movies a month to your Internode NBN plan for only the setup cost of $59.99 if you sign up for a 6-month contract.

Internode also offers Fixed Wireless, but its plans are eclipsed by competition offering double the data at the same price. Here's a mix of popular Fixed Wireless plans so you can see the difference for yourself.

Below is a full list of Internode's fixed-line NBN plans.

These are Internode's current Fixed Wireless NBN plans.

Internode isn't tracked in the ACCC's broadband speed testing program, but it does self-report typical evening speeds on its website. Here's what you can expect as an Internode customer.

Overall, Internode's NBN speeds ranked very well in our analysis. It's Fast NBN 100 plan is the exception, performing below average when compared against other NBN providers.

Here's a small sample of NBN plans sorted by the highest speeds to give you an idea of what you can expect from other providers' Fast NBN 100 plans.

As mentioned above, Internode's entertainment bundle is a good option if you've had it with Foxtel, and you're fixing for Fetch. It gets you a Fetch Mini Set-top-box at no extra monthly cost (outside of a $59.99 set-up fee), and a standard Fetch subscription (free-to-air channels), and access to streaming apps like Netflix and Stan, though those require a separate subscription.

It's an okay deal but not as tempting as Internode makes it out to be. The Fetch Mini costs $169 outright, and you still have to pay a $59.99 set-up fee, so there's a possible saving of around $109 on hardware. That's fine, but when you calculate the premium cost of signing up with Internode, and potential modem fees, the small saving on Fetch feels like a moot point.

Internode's static IP pack add-on will tempt some gamers and VPN users too. For an additional $10 per month, Internode will hook you up with a static IPv4 address and a static /56 IPv6 prefix for your local area network. Static IP addresses are handy for users who need to remotely connect to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for work or use a Smart DNS service to browse from another location (for things like streaming overseas content).

Outside of that, Internode offers the bare minimum broadband features and no additional perks. There are no discounts for bundled mobile plans, no cheap movie tickets or discounts (like you get with other premium providers), and no usage monitoring/customer service apps.

Internode is a little behind the times when it comes to customer support channels. There's the usual suspect: phone support, email feedback, and even an active Twitter account that answers customer queries in a reliable timeframe. However, there are a few advanced features offered by most providers that Internode doesn't have. Convenient customer support features, like live chat, or a usage monitoring/account management app. And while this is more a matter of opinion, the Internode website is in desperate need of a facelift.

With that said, Internode seems to make the most with the few customer service channels it does have. Internode has an above-average reputation with its customers on user review websites like Product Review, where it has an impressive 4.1-star rating. That's no easy task, and many providers struggle to rate higher than 2 out of 5 stars.