Telstra vs Southern Phone - Which is the best NBN internet provider?
Telstra is generally seen as the premium option, often praised by reviewers for its reliable connection and good customer service, especially in rural areas, though its higher cost is a common complaint. Southern Phone, on the other hand, typically competes on price, offering more budget-friendly plans. Deciding between Telstra and Southern Phone often comes down to whether you prioritise top-tier reliability and support at a higher price, or a more affordable plan.
Telstra and Southern Phone 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 Telstra and Southern Phone 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 | Telstra | Southern Phone |
|---|---|---|
| About |
 |
 |
| 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. | Southern Phone Company is owned by AGL and is one of the largest providers of fixed line, mobile and Internet communications services in regional Australia. | |
| Go to Telstra | Go to Southern Phone | |
| Overall Rating |
4
Telstra has a overall rating of 4 out of 5 based on 12 reviews. Telstra is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
[Not enough reviews] |
| Recommended | 92% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Telstra to their friends as a broadband internet provider. | [Not enough reviews] |
| Reliability |
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. |
[Not enough reviews] |
| Customer Service |
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. |
[Not enough reviews] |
| Value for Money |
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. |
[Not enough reviews] |
| Technical Support |
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. |
[Not enough reviews] |
| Australian based technical support | No, Telstra uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. | [Not enough reviews] |
| Call Centre Location | Telstra uses call centres based in Australia, Philippines and India. | [Not enough reviews] |
| Services Offered | Telstra offers a range of broadband and internet related services including internet plans. | [Not enough reviews] |
| Cost of 25Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Telstra - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $85 per month. |
Southern Phone - Satellite Small: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $55 per month. Southern Phone - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $59 per month. |
| Cost of 50Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Telstra - Essential: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $95 per month. |
Southern Phone - Satellite Medium: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $70 per month. Southern Phone - Standard: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $79 per month. |
| Cost of wireless broadband plan |
Telstra - Basic 5G (5G): 25Mbps, unlimited data for $70 per month. |
Southern Phone - Home Wireless (4G): 20Mbps, unlimited data for $60 per month. |
| Contact Details |
Telstra's phone number is: 13 22 00 and website is: telstra.com.au |
Southern Phone's phone number is: 13 14 64 and website is: southernphone.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Telstra. | Read reviews of Southern Phone. |
| Go to Telstra | Go to Southern Phone |
Telstra and Southern Phone NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
Satellite Small
NBN - Sky Muster
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$55/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$59/mth
$45 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$59/mth | Go to site |
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth | Go to site |
Telstra and Southern Phone NBN50 plans (50Mbps download speed)
|
|
Satellite Medium
NBN - Sky Muster
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$70/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Standard
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$79/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Standard
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$79/mth
$59 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Essential
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth | Go to site |
Telstra and Southern Phone Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
|
|
Fast X
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$89/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Fast X
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$89/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Ultrafast
NBN - Fixed Line
860 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Ultrafast
NBN - Fixed Line
860 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth
$85 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Satellite Large
NBN - Sky Muster
100 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Premium
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$99/mth
$89 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 |
|
|
Ultrafast
NBN - Fixed Line
815 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$129/mth
$99 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
Summary of Telstra and Southern Phone 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 and Southern Phone have pretty similiar ratings overall.
- Recommended: Telstra is more highly recommended than Southern Phone.
- Reliability: Telstra rates higher for reliability than Southern Phone does.
- Customer Service: Telstra rates higher for customer service than Southern Phone does.
- Value for Money: Telstra rates higher for value for money than Southern Phone does.
- Technical Support: Telstra rates higher for technical support than Southern Phone does.
How to decide between Telstra and Southern Phone? - next steps
- Read reviews of Telstra and Southern Phone to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Telstra and Southern Phone
- 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 Telstra vs Southern Phone
Is Telstra better than Southern Phone?
Telstra has 12 verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews and an overall rating of 4 out of 5. Southern Phone 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, Telstra or Southern Phone?
Telstra's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Essential at $95/month ongoing. Southern Phone's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Standard at $59/month intro for 12 months, then $79/month. Southern Phone is cheaper on the ongoing price after any intro period ends.
Which has better customer service, Telstra or Southern Phone?
Telstra scores 4.1 out of 5 on customer service vs Southern Phone's 3.7, based on verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews. If onshore support matters, Telstra's call centre is based in Australia, the Philippines and India and Southern Phone's is based in Australia.
What plans do Telstra and Southern Phone offer?
Telstra offers 5 NBN plans and 3 wireless plans. Southern Phone offers 12 NBN plans and 1 wireless plan. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Telstra and Southern Phone's call centres?
Telstra's customer support is based in Australia, the Philippines and India. Southern Phone's customer support is based in Australia. Call centre location can affect support hours and accent comprehension if onshore support is important to you.
How do I switch from Telstra to Southern Phone (or Southern Phone to Telstra)?
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
About Southern Phone
Cost of NBN has increased. Not happy.
You get what you pay for. Customer service is ok once you get onto somebody. However, the whole online account platform is difficult to navigate. Had a…
Was this comparison useful? Please let us know how we can improve and make this page more useful? Thanks.
Featured Plans
Write a review of your broadband company to go in our draw to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
More details here.
Add a review