Telstra vs Vodafone - Which is the best NBN internet provider?
Telstra is the established giant, often praised in reviews for its reliable connection and good customer service, particularly in rural areas, though its premium pricing is a common complaint. Vodafone, on the other hand, typically offers more budget friendly plans, suiting those who want a solid NBN connection without the higher cost.
Telstra and Vodafone 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 Vodafone 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 | Vodafone |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Telstra TV. The old BigPond brand has long since been retired. | Vodafone is one of Australia's three major mobile networks and has been part of TPG Telecom since the 2020 merger. Alongside mobile it sells nbn and 5G home wireless broadband. | |
| Go to Telstra | Go to Vodafone | |
| Overall Rating |
3.9
Telstra has a overall rating of 3.9 out of 5 based on 9 reviews. Telstra is a good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
4.2
Vodafone has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 based on 8 reviews. Vodafone is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
| Recommended | 89% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Telstra to their friends as a broadband internet provider. | 88% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Vodafone to their friends as a broadband internet provider. |
| Reliability |
4.2 Telstra's reliability is rated as very good by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5 for reliability. |
3.8 Vodafone's reliability is rated as good by our users. Vodafone has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5 for reliability. |
| Customer Service |
4 Telstra's customer service is rated as very good by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for customer service. |
4.5 Vodafone's customer service is rated as excellent by our users. Vodafone has an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 for customer service. |
| Value for Money |
3.6 Telstra is rated as good for value for money by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5 for value for money. |
4 Vodafone is rated as very good for value for money by our users. Vodafone has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for value for money. |
| Technical Support |
3.9 Telstra's technical support is rated as good by our users. Telstra has an overall rating of 3.9 out of 5 for technical support. |
4.3 Vodafone's technical support is rated as very good by our users. Vodafone has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 for technical support. |
| Australian based technical support | No, Telstra uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. | No, Vodafone uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. |
| Call Centre Location | Telstra uses call centres based in Australia, Philippines and India. | Vodafone uses call centres based in Australia, India and Egypt. |
| Services Offered | Telstra offers a range of broadband and internet related services including internet plans. | Vodafone offers a range of broadband and internet related services including NBN internet plans. |
| Cost of 25Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Telstra - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $85 per month. |
Vodafone - Basic: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $74 per month. |
| Cost of 50Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Telstra - Essential: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $95 per month. |
Vodafone - Essential: 50Mbps, unlimited data for $84 per month. |
| Cost of wireless broadband plan |
Telstra - Basic 5G (5G): 25Mbps, unlimited data for $70 per month. |
Vodafone - 5G Home Internet Basic (5G): 19Mbps, unlimited data for $60 per month. |
| Contact Details |
Telstra's phone number is: 13 22 00 and website is: telstra.com.au |
Vodafone's phone number is: 1300 650 410 and website is: vodafone.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Telstra. | Read reviews of Vodafone. |
| Go to Telstra | Go to Vodafone |
Telstra and Vodafone NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$74/mth | Go to site |
|
Basic
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$85/mth | Go to site |
Telstra and Vodafone NBN50 plans (50Mbps download speed)
|
|
Essential
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$84/mth | Go to site |
|
|
Essential
NBN - Fixed Line
50 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$95/mth | Go to site |
Telstra and Vodafone Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
|
|
Essential+
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$89/mth
$69 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Home Fast+
NBN - Fixed Line
740 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$94/mth
$74 for first 12 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Premium
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$99/mth
$89 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Home Superfast
NBN - Fixed Line
850 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$104/mth
$84 for first 12 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 Vodafone 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: Vodafone rates higher overall than Telstra does.
- Recommended: Telstra and Vodafone are recommended about the same.
- Reliability: Telstra rates higher for reliability than Vodafone does.
- Customer Service: Vodafone rates higher for customer service than Telstra does.
- Value for Money: Vodafone rates higher for value for money than Telstra does.
- Technical Support: Vodafone rates higher for technical support than Telstra does.
How to decide between Telstra and Vodafone? - next steps
- Read reviews of Telstra and Vodafone to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Telstra and Vodafone
- 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 Vodafone
Is Telstra better than Vodafone?
On Oz Broadband Reviews Telstra rates 3.9 out of 5 from 9 reviews and Vodafone rates 4.2 from 8 reviews. On individual metrics, Telstra wins on reliability (4.2 vs 3.8); Vodafone wins on customer service (4.5 vs 4.0) and value for money (4.0 vs 3.6) and tech support (4.3 vs 3.9). Read the full reviews above to form your own view.
Which is cheaper for NBN50, Telstra or Vodafone?
Telstra's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Essential at $95/month ongoing. Vodafone's cheapest NBN50 plan is the Essential at $84/month ongoing. Vodafone is cheaper on the ongoing price after any intro period ends.
Which has better customer service, Telstra or Vodafone?
Vodafone scores 4.5 out of 5 on customer service vs Telstra's 4.0, 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 Vodafone's is based in Australia, India and Egypt.
What plans do Telstra and Vodafone offer?
Telstra offers 5 NBN plans and 3 wireless plans. Vodafone offers 5 NBN plans and 3 wireless plans. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Telstra and Vodafone's call centres?
Telstra's customer support is based in Australia, the Philippines and India. Vodafone's customer support is based in Australia, India and Egypt. Call centre location can affect support hours and accent comprehension if onshore support is important to you.
How do I switch from Telstra to Vodafone (or Vodafone 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 have used a few cheaper services but, this one cost more but is reliable
Customer service is good since they are easy to contact Connection is reliable especially during thunderstorms Value for money is average since it is…
About Vodafone
My Vodafone 5G home internet plan has been able to support me with all my working from home needs over the pandemic, as well as all of my various…
Customer Service: I have always had a seamless time contacting and resolving problems with Vodafone's customer service team. 5/5 Technical Support: As…
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