5G VS. NBN – Which Internet Connection is Best for Your Home?
You have probably heard of 5G internet being promoted by the main internet companies in Australia and are curious to know if it’s better than a regular NBN internet connection.
All the main internet companies are saying it’s the best thing since sliced bread so in this article we are going to break down the main differences between NBN internet connections and a 5G internet connection.
This article will also cover the Pros and Cons of each internet connection type and various scenarios where they fit best. This article puts all the marketing BS and hype aside and focuses on real world results and our experience using both connections with our customer base.
This guide will help you answer if you genuinely need a 5G internet connection and we will go over all the details so you can make an informed decision.
1. What is 5G
5G internet is simply a name given to latest type of wireless spectrum that is used for both mobile phones and mobile internet connections. 5G is just a faster type of wireless internet signal than 4G. 5G is theoretically 10 to 20 times faster than 4G, with typical speeds between 250 Mbps to 900+ Mbps.
Most new mobile phones on the market are now considered 5G and all will still work with 4G as well. With such enormous speed improvements with 5G this allows you to watch videos on your mobile phone and make video calls.
Over the past 3-4 years, all the major telecommunications companies in Australia have rolled out their own 5G networks including Telstra, Optus and Vodaphone.
Not all areas of Australia have 5G coverage, and due to the type of wireless spectrum used, the speeds you receive via 5G will be dependent on how far you are away from a 5G tower.
2. What is NBN?
The NBN (also known as the National Broadband Network) is a government funded company that’s purpose was to build out broadband to every household in Australia.
Over the years the broadband technologies have changed with each successive government, and some older type of technologies have been used.
Currently the NBN uses a mix of technologies include
- Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)
- Fibre to the Building (FTTB)
- Fibre to the Node (FTTN)
- Fibre to the Curb (FTTC)
- Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC)
- Fixed Wireless
- Satellite NBN
All these different type of NBN technologies have their own Pros and Con’s, however all you need to know is that your address will determine which type of technology is used in your area.
If you would like to check what NBN technology type is used at your address: enter your home address into the following NBN address look up tool:
https://www.nbnco.com.au/connect-home-or-business/check-your-address
If your modem is the one giving you trouble rather than your connection type, it's worth fixing common NBN modem issues before assuming you need to switch technologies altogether.
Currently the NBN is investing $3 Billion into upgrading the NBN network and moving more customers to Fibre to the Premise connections with their free upgrade service.
You can check here if you are eligible for the free fibre upgrade:
https://www.nbnco.com.au/residential/upgrades/more-fibre-for-buildings
3. What is the main difference between 5G and NBN?
The biggest difference between 5G and NBN is that 5G is a wireless type of internet connection and NBN uses fixed cabling to your home. This could be HFC (old foxtel cabling) or fibre optic.
Most Australian homes are physically connected to the NBN and will have a white or black NBN NTD unit, which connects to a wall socket. From this black NTD unit, it will connect to your modem or router.
4. Speed
The main differences between 5G and NBN connections are the speeds available. Currently 5G modems achieve download speeds of an average 300 Mbps and 30 Mbps upload speeds.
The speed of your 5G internet connection is actually dependent on a number of factors and it’s speed will fluctuate.
Here are the factors that will determine the speed you receive on 5G connection:
- Location – How close you are to a 5G enabled cell tower
- House Structure – how many brick walls does your 5G signal have to go through to get outside. The more brick walls in between your modem and cell tower, the more the signal is reduced due to the double brick.
- Weather – 5G signals are affected by heavy rains, or storms
- Network congestion – 5G speeds can be lower if more people in the area are using 5G
- Physical Obstructions – Your 5G speeds may also be affected by apartment building and obstructions in your area, blocking the signal to the cell tower.
NBN connections on the other hand are physical connections to your property so their speeds remain constant and stable and are not affected by the weather or tall buildings in your area.
The speeds you can get on your NBN connection can start at 100 Mbps download speeds all the way to 2,000 Mbps download speeds on the new fibre connections.
For this reason NBN connections are superior to 5G for heavy internet user households that have a lot of WIFi and internet enabled devices.
5. Coverage
Not all suburbs and areas have been upgrade to 5G, so in these areas you will receive very slow 5G speeds, or you will only be able to get speeds of around 100 Mbps on 5G. Country areas have the worst 5G coverage as it’s not economic for companies to upgrade cell phone towers.
NBN on the other hand is connected to almost every Australian household. Homes in the country may have older style NBN connections, and may have to look at alternatives like NBN satellite, fixed wireless or starlink.
6. Reliability
5G internet can be unreliable due to the same factors mentioned in the section about ‘speed’. It is a gamble to install 5G as the internet companies cannot guarantee the speeds until you install a 5G modem in your home and test the speeds.
We have seen both excellent speeds with 5G 500 Mbps + and very poor speeds with 5G around 75 Mbps due to large apartment buildings surrounding our client’s home.
NBN Fibre Optic and NBN HFC will be both the most reliable type of internet connections as they rarely have issues and are well maintained.
7. Cost
Currently the cost of 5G and NBN is almost identical with Telstra selling their 5G internet service with speeds of 300 Mbps downloads at $85 per month and Aussie Broadband selling their NBN Fast Fibre 500 Mbps plan for $85 per month.
In this case since Ausssie broadbands internet is Fibre based (the best and most reliable). You would only go for 5G if you were renting short term or your home had not been upgraded to fibre optic yet.
8. Other uses for 5G
5G can also be used as a backup internet connections for home or businesses and is also good if you travel around Australia and need something that can be moved and travel with you.
Conclusion: Should you choose NBN or 5G?
As NBN upgrade their network with their free Fibre Optic upgrade, 5G becomes less and less attractive to people. It also has a lot of disadvantages and we generally don’t recommend it as a permanent internet connection if NBN fibre is available.
5G is good for people who are renting, live in apartment buildings or are in a area where NBN is slow to upgrade their network or there is simply no other alterntive.
For people in the country who may not be able to get fast NBN or 5G, then we recommend investigating starlink as this is a great alternative with little of the same drawbacks as 5G.
Paul Zdzitowiecki is an IT specialist and contributor at Jim’s IT, with extensive experience in computer repairs, managed IT services, and business technology solutions across Australia. Paul regularly writes about computer repairs, Wifi and internet optimisation, cybersecurity, and business IT support, delivering practical, easy-to-understand advice that helps readers solve real-world tech problems.