Australia is an incredibly diverse and beautiful country, and it has its foot firmly placed in the 21st century when it comes to broadband internet services. The country`s largest telecoms company, Telstra, owns the majority of the land line networks, though there are other companies who help to keep the market competitive, and competition from fibre optic cable broadband services and 3G Mobile Broadband are also beginning to take hold. Because Australia is a large country with a diffuse, small population there is still a modest base of users who connect to the internet using dial up, though roughly two thirds of the population have access to a broadband internet connection. Another symptom of Australia`s population and their position on the globe is that often the price of broadband internet based on the monthly data allowance is much higher than in comparable western nations, though there are of course some great deals to be had out there. Let`s take a look at the main players in the Australian broadband ISP marketplace and compare the deals they have to offer.
Top Australian Broadband Deals
- Telstra - Being the largest telecoms company in Australia, Telstra are of course able to offer broadband to the largest proportion of the population, and they do so under their `Big Pond` subdivision. Big Pond offer all of the mainstream forms of broadband to Australian users, with super fast cable broadband available to users in Sydney and Melbourne for as little as $20 a month, ADSL services of up to 20Mbps for just under $30 a month and of course mobile broadband, offering up to 7.2Mbps download speed in areas covered by HSPA+ 3G networks. If you want the most comprehensive and versatile packages then Big Pond and Telstra may well be able to help.
- Austar - Though Austar are only just over a decade old and have their roots in subscription TV, they also have competitive dial up internet options for new and old customers, suited to those in rural areas without ADSL coverage.
- Internode - Offering home ADSL services within South Australia, Internode have a variety of packages, ranging from the basic `naked` ADSL without the need to sign up for a home phone service from just $50 a month, to more comprehensive packages. There`s a lot of choice and there are some `extreme` options for heavy users.
Choosing a Provider
The easiest and quickest way to choose an Australian broadband provider that is right for you and your needs is to use an online broadband comparison site to compare broadband packages and options. Whether it is your first time signing up for a broadband connection and you want to find out which services are available in your area, or even if you`ve already got a broadband connection in your home but you`re dissatisfied with the service and want to see what other options there are, a comparison site will help put all this information in one place.