Lightning Broadband vs Exetel - Which is the best NBN internet provider?
Exetel and Lightning Broadband are two NBN providers with different approaches to getting you online. Exetel, a long-standing player, is known for its no-frills plans and solid performance, often favoured by those after reliable, straightforward internet. On the other hand, Lightning Broadband is a newer, more niche provider, focusing on its own fibre network in select areas, which real world reviews suggest can deliver seriously fast speeds for those lucky enough to be in their coverage.
NBN plans from $80.00/mth · Partner
Lightning Broadband and Exetel 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 Lightning Broadband and Exetel 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 | Lightning Broadband | Exetel |
|---|---|---|
| About |
|
 Partner |
| Lightning Broadband runs its own fixed wireless and private fibre network across Melbourne, with plans up to 1000 Mbps for addresses inside the Lightning footprint. It sits alongside the nbn rather than reselling it, so customers in covered buildings get to bypass the FTTN/FTTB copper that would otherwise cap their speeds. Lightning is small and Melbourne specific but useful for residents of apartment blocks where its network is already wired in. | Exetel launched its first broadband service in 2004 and built a name as a low-cost, no-frills ISP. Since 2021 it has been owned by ASX-listed Superloop, which runs the network behind it, while Exetel continues as its own value-focused brand. | |
| Go to Lightning Broadband | Go to Exetel | |
| Overall Rating | [Not enough reviews] |
4.3
Exetel has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 based on 6 reviews. Exetel is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
| Recommended | [Not enough reviews] | 83% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Exetel to their friends as a broadband internet provider. |
| Reliability | [Not enough reviews] |
4 Exetel's reliability is rated as very good by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for reliability. |
| Customer Service | [Not enough reviews] |
4.7 Exetel's customer service is rated as excellent by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 for customer service. |
| Value for Money | [Not enough reviews] |
4 Exetel is rated as very good for value for money by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for value for money. |
| Technical Support | [Not enough reviews] |
4.5 Exetel's technical support is rated as excellent by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 for technical support. |
| Australian based technical support | [Not enough reviews] | No, Exetel uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. |
| Call Centre Location | [Not enough reviews] | Exetel uses call centres based in Australia and Sri Lanka. |
| Services Offered | [Not enough reviews] | Exetel offers a range of broadband and internet related services including NBN and 5G internet plans. |
| Cost of 25Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Lightning Broadband - Entry level: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $72 per month. Lightning Broadband - Entry Level: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $72 per month. Lightning Broadband - Entry Level: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $72 per month. Lightning Broadband - Entry Level: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $72 per month. |
|
| Cost of 50Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Lightning Broadband - Everyday internet: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $85 per month. Lightning Broadband - Everyday Internet: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $85 per month. Lightning Broadband - Everyday Internet: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $85 per month. Lightning Broadband - Everyday Internet: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $85 per month. |
|
| Cost of wireless broadband plan | ||
| Contact Details |
Lightning Broadband's phone number is: 1300 477 525 and website is: lightningbroadband.com.au |
Exetel's phone number is: 13 39 38 and website is: exetel.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Lightning Broadband. | Read reviews of Exetel. |
| Go to Lightning Broadband | Go to Exetel |
Lightning Broadband and Exetel NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
|
Entry Level
NBN - Private Fibre
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$72/mth
$45 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entry Level
NBN - Private Fibre
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$72/mth
$45 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entry Level
NBN - Private Fibre
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$72/mth
$45 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entry level
NBN - Private Fibre
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$72/mth
$45 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Fibre Plans Entry Level
NBN - Private Fibre
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$79/mth | Go to site |
Lightning Broadband and Exetel NBN50 plans (50Mbps download speed)
|
|
Everyday Internet
NBN - Private Fibre
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth
$65 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Everyday Internet
NBN - Private Fibre
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth
$65 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Everyday Internet
NBN - Private Fibre
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth
$65 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Everyday internet
NBN - Private Fibre
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth
$65 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Everyday Internet
NBN - Private Fibre
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$89/mth | Go to site |
Lightning Broadband and Exetel Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
|
One Plan
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$80/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Most Popular Plan
NBN - Private Fibre
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth
$69 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Most Popular Plan
NBN - Private Fibre
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth
$69 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Most Popular Plan
NBN - Private Fibre
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth
$69 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
most popular plan
NBN - Private Fibre
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth
$69 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entertainment Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
750 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$104/mth
$75 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entertainment Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
750 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$104/mth
$75 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entertainment Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
750 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$104/mth
$75 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Entertainment plus
NBN - Private Fibre
750 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$104/mth
$75 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Most Popular Plan
NBN - Private Fibre
100 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$109/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
1000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$109/mth
$85 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
1000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$109/mth
$85 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
1000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$109/mth
$85 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
speed
NBN - Private Fibre
1000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$109/mth
$85 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Business Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
200 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$129/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$169/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
1000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$199/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Ultra Fast
NBN - Private Fibre
2000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$395/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Ultra Fast
NBN - Private Fibre
2000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$435/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Ludicrous Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
5000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$695/mth
Setup Fee: $499 |
Go to site |
|
|
Ludicrous Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
5000 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$735/mth | Go to site |
Summary of Lightning Broadband and Exetel 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 rates higher overall than Lightning Broadband does.
- Recommended: Exetel is more highly recommended than Lightning Broadband.
- Reliability: Exetel rates higher for reliability than Lightning Broadband does.
- Customer Service: Exetel rates higher for customer service than Lightning Broadband does.
- Value for Money: Exetel rates higher for value for money than Lightning Broadband does.
- Technical Support: Exetel rates higher for technical support than Lightning Broadband does.
How to decide between Lightning Broadband and Exetel? - next steps
- Read reviews of Lightning Broadband and Exetel to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Lightning Broadband and Exetel
- 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 Lightning Broadband vs Exetel
Is Lightning Broadband better than Exetel?
Exetel has 6 verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews and an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5. Lightning Broadband has fewer than 5 reviews so we don't yet show an aggregate rating. Read the individual reviews above to form your own view.
What plans do Lightning Broadband and Exetel offer?
Lightning Broadband offers 30 NBN plans. Exetel offers 1 NBN plan. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Lightning Broadband and Exetel's call centres?
Lightning Broadband's customer support is based in Melbourne. Exetel's customer support is based in Australia and Sri Lanka. Call centre location can affect support hours and accent comprehension if onshore support is important to you.
How do I switch from Lightning Broadband to Exetel (or Exetel to Lightning Broadband)?
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
I love the Exetel One NBN Plan. The value proposition is great, it's $80 a month offering 500/50 speeds. You have the ability to reduce the monthly…
Speed and reliability is good, never had any issues with service itself. One benefit that Exetel provides that I've not seen any other NBN provider…
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