Exetel and Aussie Broadband come up again and again when Australians shortlist an NBN plan — and for good reason. They sit at opposite ends of a useful spectrum: one leans hard into value and flexibility, the other into premium local support and reputation. Neither is “better” in the abstract. The right pick depends on what you actually want from your connection, and on your address.
That last point matters more than the logo on your bill. Both providers resell the same underlying NBN infrastructure to your home, so the maximum real-world speed you’ll get is largely set by the connection type at your address (FTTP, FTTN, HFC and so on), not by which brand you sign with. We’ll come back to that.
Disclosure: Birch Tech may earn a referral fee if you sign up through our links, at no extra cost to you. We work with a limited panel of providers (not whole-of-market). See our full disclosure on the compare connections page.
Birch Tech is an independent, licensed installer in Sydney. We don’t own either company and we have no reason to push one over the other — our job is making the connection, cabling and Wi-Fi actually work once you’ve chosen. So here’s the honest head-to-head.
The short version
- Exetel — owned by the ASX-listed Superloop Group (Superloop acquired Exetel in 2021). Value-focused pricing, no lock-in contracts, and support that’s mostly online/chat-based and leaner. Great if you’re price-conscious and comfortable self-serving.
- Aussie Broadband — runs its own backhaul network and keeps its customer-service centres Australian-based (in Victoria). Premium price posture, but a strong reputation for service and reliability. Great if you want a person to actually help when something goes wrong.
Price posture
Exetel positions itself as one of the more value-priced options on the NBN, especially on the mainstream 50 and 100 tiers, and it regularly runs introductory offers. Aussie Broadband generally sits at the premium end — you pay more, and the pitch is that you’re paying for the service quality and support behind it.
We won’t quote dollar figures here, because NBN plan pricing changes constantly and any number we print would be out of date (and possibly wrong) within weeks. For current pricing, check the live plan pages:
- See Exetel’s current plans via our Exetel link
- See Aussie Broadband’s current plans via our Aussie Broadband link
Support — the real dividing line
This is where the two genuinely differ.
Aussie Broadband has built its brand on Australian-based support, with its customer-service teams in Victoria and a long-standing reputation for service. If you value picking up the phone and reaching someone local who can dig into your specific fault, this is a meaningful advantage.
Exetel runs a leaner support model that’s more online and chat-first. For a lot of households this is completely fine — plenty of people never need to call their ISP — and it’s part of how Exetel keeps prices down. But if you’d rather have hands-on help, it’s a trade-off to go in with your eyes open.
Worth knowing: even the best ISP support can’t always fix a problem that lives inside your walls. Plenty of “the internet is slow / dropping out” cases we attend are actually cabling, the lead-in, or Wi-Fi coverage — not the provider at all. That’s independent of whichever brand you choose.
Speed tiers — and why your address decides
Both providers offer the standard NBN speed tiers:
- NBN 25 — light use, one or two people, basic browsing and standard-def streaming
- NBN 50 — the popular family/household choice; comfortable HD streaming and video calls
- NBN 100 — heavier households, multiple 4K streams, big downloads
- NBN 250 and gigabit (1000) — power users, large files, home offices — available where your connection type supports it
Here’s the catch that applies to both: the tier you can actually achieve depends on your NBN connection type. If your address is on FTTN (fibre to the node), the higher tiers may not be reachable regardless of provider. If you’re on FTTP or eligible for an upgrade, gigabit may be on the table. Choosing Aussie over Exetel (or vice versa) won’t change the physics at your address.
If you’re not sure what your address can support — or whether you’re eligible for an FTTP upgrade — that’s exactly what our find my best connection tool is for. It’s the sensible first step before you commit to any plan.
Flexibility and contracts
Both providers are effectively month-to-month with no lock-in contracts these days, which is the modern norm on the NBN. Exetel has long made “no contracts” a core part of its pitch, so switching away is straightforward if a plan isn’t working for you. Aussie Broadband is similarly flexible.
Practically, this means the switching cost is low with either. You can start on one, and if the fit isn’t right, move — the bigger hassle is usually getting your hardware and Wi-Fi set up correctly each time, not the plan itself.
Business options
If you’re a small business, the calculus shifts.
Aussie Broadband has a well-regarded business arm with business-grade support, static IPs and priority-style service tiers — it’s a common pick for businesses that treat their connection as mission-critical.
Exetel also offers business plans at a keener price point, which can suit a small operation that wants business features without the premium.
For any business, the connection itself is only half the story. Uptime usually comes down to having a proper setup and a plan for when the line goes down. If staying online matters to your revenue, read our guide on keeping your business online with failover, and see our business connectivity options.
The verdict
Choose Exetel if: you’re price-conscious, you want no lock-in and simple flexibility, and you’re comfortable with mostly online/chat support. It’s a strong value play backed by the Superloop Group, and for a self-sufficient household it’s hard to beat on cost. Check Exetel’s current plans.
Choose Aussie Broadband if: you’ll pay a bit more for genuinely local, Australian-based support and a strong service reputation, or if you’re a business that wants that reassurance. When something goes wrong, you’ll appreciate reaching someone who can help. Check Aussie Broadband’s current plans.
Choose neither, yet, if: you don’t actually know what your address can support. Start with find my best connection so you’re comparing plans you can genuinely get — not tiers your line can’t deliver.
Whichever you pick, Birch Tech can make sure the connection, cabling and Wi-Fi are set up properly so you get what you’re paying for. Reach us by email or WhatsApp and we’ll sort the technical side.
Frequently asked questions
Is Exetel just a cheaper version of Aussie Broadband? Not quite. Exetel (owned by the Superloop Group) is genuinely value-priced and flexible, with leaner, mostly-online support. Aussie Broadband costs more but is known for its Australian-based support and strong service reputation. They’re aimed at different priorities, not the same product at two prices.
Will I get faster internet with one over the other? Generally no. Both resell the same NBN infrastructure to your home, so your maximum speed is set by your connection type (FTTP, FTTN, HFC, etc.) and the speed tier you choose — not by the brand. Real-world performance can vary during busy hours, but your address is the bigger factor. Use find my best connection to see what your line supports.
Can I switch between them easily? Yes. Both are effectively month-to-month with no lock-in contracts, so switching is straightforward. The main effort is usually getting your modem, router and Wi-Fi configured correctly after the change — something we can handle if you’d rather not.
What if my internet is slow no matter which provider I use? That’s often a sign the problem isn’t the provider at all — it can be your lead-in cable, internal cabling, or poor Wi-Fi coverage. An independent installer like Birch Tech can diagnose whether it’s the plan, the connection, or the setup, and fix the parts that are actually within reach.