Carbon Comms vs Optus - Which is the best NBN internet provider?
Carbon Comms is a budget-friendly option, often appealing to those looking for a no-frills NBN connection, whereas Optus is a major player offering a more comprehensive package, though at a higher price point. Optus customers frequently praise its reliable setup and connection, especially for families, but on the other hand, recurring issues like internet dropouts and frustrating customer service experiences are common complaints. Carbon Comms generally suits users prioritising cost savings, while Optus is often chosen for its broader service offering, despite the potential for customer support headaches.
Carbon Comms and Optus are both reputable broadband internet providers in Australia.
Deciding which NBN or wireless internet company to sign up to is not an easy task. To make this process easier we have provided a side by side comparison of Carbon Comms and Optus internet providers in the table below.
Disclaimer: All the data in the table is based on the opinions of people who have submitted reviews to this site over the last 24 months. We screen the reviews very thoroughly to ensure only accurate reviews get through. Please do your own research.
| Criteria | Carbon Comms | Optus |
|---|---|---|
| About |
 |
 |
| Carbon Comms is an Australian-owned telco that sells NBN alongside mobile, VoIP and cloud services, with the team behind it claiming more than 20 years operating telcos and internet services. Support is Australian-based and runs 365 days a year, with the network operated from tier-1 data centres in Sydney and Melbourne. Every NBN plan is month-to-month with unlimited data, no setup fee, and a static IPv4 address with no CGNAT included as standard - a genuine point of difference at consumer prices. Alongside the standard residential range it also sells dedicated business tiers and NBN Fixed Wireless plans. | Optus is Australia's second-largest telco, owned by Singapore's Singtel. It sells nbn and 5G home internet, often bundled with mobile and entertainment, all backed by its own nationwide mobile network. | |
| Go to Carbon Comms | Go to Optus | |
| Overall Rating | [Not enough reviews] |
3.9
Optus has an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5 based on 10 reviews. Optus is a good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
| Recommended | [Not enough reviews] | 70% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Optus to their friends as a broadband internet provider. |
| Reliability | [Not enough reviews] |
4.1 Optus's reliability is rated as very good by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 for reliability. |
| Customer Service | [Not enough reviews] |
3.8 Optus's customer service is rated as good by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5 for customer service. |
| Value for Money | [Not enough reviews] |
3.9 Optus is rated as good for value for money by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5 for value for money. |
| Technical Support | [Not enough reviews] |
3.8 Optus's technical support is rated as good by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5 for technical support. |
| Australian based technical support | [Not enough reviews] | No, Optus uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. |
| Call Centre Location | [Not enough reviews] | Optus uses call centres based in Australia, India and Philippines. |
| Services Offered | [Not enough reviews] | Optus offers a range of broadband and internet related services including internet plans. |
| Cost of 25Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Carbon Comms - Home Fast 25/10: 24Mbps, unlimited data for $57 per month. |
Optus - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $83 per month. |
| Cost of 50Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Carbon Comms - Home Fast 50/20: 49Mbps, unlimited data for $81 per month. |
Optus - Everyday: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $97 per month. |
| Cost of wireless broadband plan |
Carbon Comms - MBB 15GB (): 0Mbps, 15 GB for $25 per month. |
Optus - Everyday Basic 4G (4G): 14Mbps, unlimited data for $59 per month. |
| Contact Details |
Carbon Comms's phone number is: 1800 10 10 50 and website is: carboncomms.com.au |
Optus's phone number is: 1300 300 693 and website is: optus.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Carbon Comms. | Read reviews of Optus. |
| Go to Carbon Comms | Go to Optus |
Carbon Comms and Optus NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
Home Fast 25/10
NBN - Fixed Line
24 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$57/mth | Go to site |
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$83/mth
$73 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
Carbon Comms and Optus NBN50 plans (50Mbps download speed)
|
|
Home Fast 50/20
NBN - Fixed Line
49 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$81/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Everyday
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$97/mth
$87 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
Carbon Comms and Optus Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
|
|
Fixed Wireless Plus 100/20
NBN - Fixed Wireless
98 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$79/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Home Fast 100/20
NBN - Fixed Line
98 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$84/mth | Go to site |
|
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Fixed Wireless Plus Homefast 250/20
NBN - Fixed Wireless
248 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$84/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Home Fast 500/50
NBN - Fixed Line
498 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$84/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Home Fast 100/40
NBN - Fixed Line
98 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$88/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Business Fast 100/40
NBN - Fixed Line
98 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$89/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Home Superfast 750/50
NBN - Fixed Line
748 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$91/mth | Go to site |
|
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Fixed Wireless Superfast 400/40
NBN - Fixed Wireless
398 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$91/mth | Go to site |
|
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Fast 500
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$99/mth
$89 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
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Business Superfast 250/100
NBN - Fixed Line
248 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$101/mth | Go to site |
|
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Ultrafast 1000/100
NBN - Fixed Line
880 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$102/mth | Go to site |
|
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Business Turbofast 500/200
NBN - Fixed Line
498 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$105/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Business Ultrafast 1000/400
NBN - Fixed Line
880 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$127/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Ultrafast
NBN - Fixed Line
820 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$129/mth
$119 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Hyperfast HFC 2000/100
NBN - Fixed Line
1880 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$153/mth | Go to site |
|
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Hyperfast FTTP 2000/200
NBN - Fixed Line
1880 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$153/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Business Hyperfast Plus 2000/500
NBN - Fixed Line
1880 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$196/mth | Go to site |
Summary of Carbon Comms and Optus comparison
Please note that summary below is based on reviews submitted to this website and represents the views of the people who wrote the reviews.
- Overall: Optus rates higher overall than Carbon Comms does.
- Recommended: Optus is more highly recommended than Carbon Comms.
- Reliability: Optus rates higher for reliability than Carbon Comms does.
- Customer Service: Optus rates higher for customer service than Carbon Comms does.
- Value for Money: Optus rates higher for value for money than Carbon Comms does.
- Technical Support: Optus rates higher for technical support than Carbon Comms does.
How to decide between Carbon Comms and Optus? - next steps
- Read reviews of Carbon Comms and Optus to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Carbon Comms and Optus
- Decide how fast your connection need to be and how much data you need then use our broadband plan finder to narrow down the list of plans and find the best plan that suits your budget
- Choose the plan that best suits your needs and budget. Remember, that you can easily change plans but changing broadband internet providers is more difficult so it is really important that you choose a solid internet provider.
Frequently asked questions about Carbon Comms vs Optus
Is Carbon Comms better than Optus?
Optus has 10 verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews and an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5. Carbon Comms has fewer than 5 reviews so we don't yet show an aggregate rating. Read the individual reviews above to form your own view.
Which is cheaper for NBN50, Carbon Comms or Optus?
Carbon Comms's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Home Fast 50/20 at $81/month ongoing. Optus's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Everyday at $87/month intro for 12 months, then $97/month. Carbon Comms is cheaper on the ongoing price after any intro period ends.
What plans do Carbon Comms and Optus offer?
Carbon Comms offers 17 NBN plans and 9 wireless plans. Optus offers 5 wireless plans and 4 NBN plans. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Carbon Comms and Optus's call centres?
Carbon Comms's customer support is based in Australia. Optus's customer support is based in Australia, India and the Philippines. Call centre location can affect support hours and accent comprehension if onshore support is important to you.
How do I switch from Carbon Comms to Optus (or Optus to Carbon Comms)?
Switching NBN providers in Australia is straightforward. The new provider handles the transfer once you sign up and provide your address. There's usually no contract overlap if your current plan is month-to-month, but check for early termination fees on contracted plans. Phone numbers can usually be ported, and the service typically continues uninterrupted on the same NBN line.
What customers say
About Optus
Great deal at 50 per month promotional offer, can't fault it. But the customer service wasn't great, and sometimes the network blacks out but…
Reliable enough, but had plenty of issues with technical support throughout the years. Also never told if theres a better price on a current plan, happy…
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