Lightning Broadband vs Telstra - Which is the best NBN internet provider?
Telstra is Australia's biggest telco, known for its reliable network and good customer service, especially in regional areas, though reviewers often find it expensive. Lightning Broadband, on the other hand, is a smaller player offering competitive pricing, making it an option for those prioritising value over Telstra's premium experience.
Lightning Broadband and Telstra 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 Telstra 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 | Telstra |
|---|---|---|
| About |
|
 |
| 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. | Telstra is Australia's largest telco and broadband provider, with the widest fixed and mobile network reach in the country. It charges a premium over smaller providers but offers extensive coverage and extras like Fetch TV. The old BigPond brand has long since been retired. | |
| Go to Lightning Broadband | Go to Telstra | |
| Overall Rating | [Not enough reviews] |
4
Telstra has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 based on 12 reviews. Telstra is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
| Recommended | [Not enough reviews] | 92% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Telstra to their friends as a broadband internet provider. |
| Reliability | [Not enough reviews] |
4.3 Telstra's reliability is rated as very good by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 for reliability. |
| Customer Service | [Not enough reviews] |
4.1 Telstra's customer service is rated as very good by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 for customer service. |
| Value for Money | [Not enough reviews] |
3.4 Telstra is rated as ok for value for money by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 3.4 out of 5 for value for money. |
| Technical Support | [Not enough reviews] |
4 Telstra's technical support is rated as very good by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for technical support. |
| Australian based technical support | [Not enough reviews] | No, Telstra uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. |
| Call Centre Location | [Not enough reviews] | Telstra uses call centres based in Australia, Philippines and India. |
| Services Offered | [Not enough reviews] | Telstra offers a range of broadband and internet related services including 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. |
Telstra - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $85 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. |
Telstra - Essential: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $95 per month. |
| Cost of wireless broadband plan |
Telstra - Basic 5G (5G): 25Mbps, unlimited data for $70 per month. |
|
| Contact Details |
Lightning Broadband's phone number is: 1300 477 525 and website is: lightningbroadband.com.au |
Telstra's phone number is: 13 22 00 and website is: telstra.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Lightning Broadband. | Read reviews of Telstra. |
| Go to Lightning Broadband | Go to Telstra |
Lightning Broadband and Telstra NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
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Entry Level
NBN - Private Fibre
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$72/mth
$45 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
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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 |
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth | Go to site |
Lightning Broadband and Telstra 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 |
|
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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 |
|
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Essential
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth | Go to site |
Lightning Broadband and Telstra Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
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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 |
|
|
Premium
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$99/mth
$89 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
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Entertainment Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
750 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$104/mth
$75 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
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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 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
Ultimate
NBN - Fixed Line
750 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$119/mth
$89 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Business Plus
NBN - Private Fibre
200 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$129/mth | Go to site |
|
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Ultrafast
NBN - Fixed Line
815 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$129/mth
$99 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Speed
NBN - Private Fibre
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$169/mth | Go to site |
Summary of Lightning Broadband and Telstra 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: Telstra rates higher overall than Lightning Broadband does.
- Recommended: Telstra is more highly recommended than Lightning Broadband.
- Reliability: Telstra rates higher for reliability than Lightning Broadband does.
- Customer Service: Telstra rates higher for customer service than Lightning Broadband does.
- Value for Money: Telstra rates higher for value for money than Lightning Broadband does.
- Technical Support: Telstra rates higher for technical support than Lightning Broadband does.
How to decide between Lightning Broadband and Telstra? - next steps
- Read reviews of Lightning Broadband and Telstra to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Lightning Broadband and Telstra
- 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 Telstra
Is Lightning Broadband better than Telstra?
Telstra has 12 verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews and an overall rating of 4 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.
Which is cheaper for NBN50, Lightning Broadband or Telstra?
Lightning Broadband's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Everyday Internet at $65/month intro for 6 months, then $85/month. Telstra's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Essential at $95/month ongoing. Lightning Broadband is cheaper on the ongoing price after any intro period ends.
What plans do Lightning Broadband and Telstra offer?
Lightning Broadband offers 20 NBN plans. Telstra offers 5 NBN plans and 3 wireless plans. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Lightning Broadband and Telstra's call centres?
Lightning Broadband's customer support is based in Melbourne. Telstra's customer support is based in Australia, the Philippines and India. 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 Telstra (or Telstra 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 Telstra
I would rate Telstra broadband as very average. 99% of the time it is reliable and fast, however there is that 1% of the time when the it will not…
In all I am satisfied with this service
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