Exetel vs Optus: Which is the best NBN provider?
Updated 21 October 2026. Plan prices on this page pull live from our database. Ratings are from 25 first-person reviewer ratings (Exetel 9, Optus 16).
Optus and Exetel offer distinct NBN experiences, with Exetel generally being the cheaper option for entry-level plans. Optus is frequently praised by reviewers for its reliable connections and straightforward setup, though some customers note price increases and customer service issues. Exetel, on the other hand, is well-regarded for its consistent speeds and user-friendly app, with reviewers appreciating unique features like connection pausing.
NBN plans from $80/mth · Partner
Exetel 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 Exetel 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 | Exetel | Optus |
|---|---|---|
| About |
 Partner |
 |
| Go to Exetel | Go to Optus | |
| Overall Rating |
4
Exetel has a overall rating of 4 out of 5 based on 9 reviews. Exetel is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
4
Optus has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 based on 16 reviews. Optus is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
| Recommended | 78% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Exetel to their friends as a broadband internet provider. | 69% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Optus to their friends as a broadband internet provider. |
| Reliability |
3.8 Exetel's reliability is rated as good by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5 for reliability. |
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 |
4.3 Exetel's customer service is rated as very good by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 for customer service. |
4.2 Optus's customer service is rated as very good by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 for customer service. |
| Value for Money |
3.9 Exetel is rated as good for value for money by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5 for value for money. |
3.7 Optus is rated as good for value for money by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5 for value for money. |
| Technical Support |
4.1 Exetel's technical support is rated as very good by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 for technical support. |
4.1 Optus's technical support is rated as very good by our users. Optus has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 for technical support. |
| Australian based technical support | No, Exetel uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. | No, Optus uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. |
| Call Centre Location | Exetel uses call centres based in Australia and Sri Lanka. | Optus uses call centres based in Australia, India and Philippines. |
| Services Offered | Exetel offers a range of broadband and internet related services including NBN and 5G internet plans. | Optus offers a range of broadband and internet related services including internet plans. |
| Cost of 25Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Optus - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $83 per month. |
|
| Cost of 50Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Optus - Everyday: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $97 per month. |
|
| Cost of wireless broadband plan |
Optus - Everyday Basic 4G (4G): 15Mbps, unlimited data for $59 per month. |
|
| Contact Details |
Exetel's phone number is: 13 39 38 and website is: exetel.com.au |
Optus's phone number is: 1300 300 693 and website is: optus.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Exetel. | Read reviews of Optus. |
| Go to Exetel | Go to Optus |
Exetel and Optus NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$83/mth
$73 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
Exetel and Optus NBN50 plans (50Mbps download speed)
|
|
Everyday
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$97/mth
$87 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
Exetel and Optus Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
|
One Plan
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$80/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Fast 500
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$99/mth
$89 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Promo Plus
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$109/mth
$69 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Ultrafast
NBN - Fixed Line
820 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$129/mth
$119 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
Summary of Exetel 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: Exetel and Optus have pretty similiar ratings overall.
- Recommended: Exetel is more highly recommended than Optus.
- Reliability: Optus rates higher for reliability than Exetel does.
- Customer Service: Exetel and Optus have pretty similar ratings for customer service.
- Value for Money: Exetel and Optus have pretty similar ratings in terms of value for money.
- Technical Support: Exetel and Optus have pretty similar ratings in terms of technical support.
How to decide between Exetel and Optus? - next steps
- Read reviews of Exetel and Optus to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Exetel 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 Exetel vs Optus
Is Exetel better than Optus?
Both rate 4 out of 5 overall on Oz Broadband Reviews. Exetel has 9 reviews and Optus has 16. On recommend-to-a-friend, 78% of Exetel reviewers said they'd recommend the provider, vs 69% for Optus. Read the full reviews above to form your own view.
Which has better customer service, Exetel or Optus?
Exetel and Optus score similarly on customer service, 4.3 vs 4.2 out of 5. Neither stands out from the other on this metric. If onshore support matters, Exetel's call centre is based in Australia and Sri Lanka and Optus's is based in Australia, India and the Philippines.
What plans do Exetel and Optus offer?
Exetel offers 1 NBN plan. Optus offers 5 wireless plans and 5 NBN plans. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Exetel and Optus's call centres?
Exetel's customer support is based in Australia and Sri Lanka. 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 Exetel to Optus (or Optus to Exetel)?
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 Exetel
There isn't a lot of competition out there, so most plans are about the same price. The port over was quick, and the connection is good. It has…
Price has gone up, reliability has gone down.
About Optus
Ping spikes especially in evenings, connection issues occasionally including outages and nation-wide outage
Have had many others but Optus has never given us any issues anywhere. As far as connectivity there are no issues and we use streaming heavily (kids plus…
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