Vodafone NBN review

• $15 per month discount if you already have a mobile plan with Vodafone
• 30-day network satisfaction guarantee
• Standalone pricing is a little expensive

On the surface, Vodafone’s NBN plans might seem pricier than most other providers.

The standard pricing for its Standard (NBN 25), Standard Plus (NBN 50), and Premium (NBN 100) plans aren’t as competitive as most. But there’s a lot of peace-of-mind factors that come with Vodafone’s suite of broadband plans, such as 4G backup for seamless internet in the event of an outage, and a 30-day network satisfaction guarantee.

Add to that Vodafone’s regular discounts on its NBN plans that cut the price for the first six months of use, and an additional loyalty discount ($15 off for Vodafone mobile customers), and it shakes out at a decent deal.

Vodafone NBN offers five speed tiers: Essential (NBN 25), Essential Plus (NBN 50), Premium (NBN 100), Superfast (NBN 250) and Ultrafast (NBN1000).

Vodafone self-reports typical evening speeds on its NBN plans, but the ACCC also began tracking Vodafone’s performance in 2020.

Here are the typical evening speeds advertised by Vodafone.

• Standard NBN 25: 25 Mbps
• Standard Plus NBN 50: 50 Mbps
• Premium NBN 100: 90 Mbps
• Superfast NBN 250: 210 Mbps
• Ultrafast NBN 1000: 450 Mbps

Vodafone’s speeds will be good enough for most. Still, if you want the fastest Internet available, Aussie Broadband and Superloop offer some ludicrously speedy NBN plans to select FTTP and HFC connections.

Unfortunately, Vodafone's NBN plans are no longer eligible for its Bundle and Save discount. However, there is still a very decent $15 per month discount on any NBN plan if you're already a Vodafone mobile customer, which makes its pricing much more competitive.

If you’re not a Vodafone mobile customer already, you’ve got two options: a) sign up for a Vodafone mobile plan to take advantage of the loyalty discount, or b) go with a cheaper NBN provider.

Below is a shortlist of Vodafone’s most popular mobile plans. If these plans appeal to you, switching to Voda could save you a decent chunk of change.

Here is a small selection of the cheapest NBN 50 plans available in Australia, sorted by price.

• Vodafone WiFi Hub with 4G backup with Instant Connect
• No entertainment bundles
• No perks

As one of Australia’s most well-entrenched telcos, Vodafone has most of the infrastructure and bonuses you get with one of the more significant providers. Apart from its well-resourced customer service options (more on that further down), Vodafone also has some sweet perks, like its signature $5 per day roaming on mobile plans, and Instant Connect. This feature lets you connect as soon as you receive your Vodafone WiFi Hub with 4G backup.

That alone is an attractive feature. 4G backup gives you peace of mind in the event of an outage, switching your broadband connection from the NBN to the mobile network when there’s an issue with the fixed-line connection.

Unfortunately, Vodafone is one provider where 4G fallback might come in handy a little too often, as it often rates as one of the worst providers for daily outages according to the ACCC’s broadband testing program.

According to the same report, the providers with the fewest daily outages are Dodo, Exetel, Superloop and Telstra. Here’s a glance at the most popular NBN 50 plans offered by those providers.

Outside of Vodafone’s loyalty discount, there aren’t the same perks you get from Telstra and Optus. There are no cheap movie tickets, entertainment bundles, or discounts on other experiences, like concerts and restaurants.

One of the best things about Vodafone’s NBN offering is the Vodafone WiFi Hub that comes included. It supports up to 32 connected devices and is compatible with all NBN technologies.

It’s most attractive feature is its unlimited 4G back-up. The WiFi modem is shipped with an unlimited 4G backup SIM card. So you can stay connected if there’s an outage and access the internet as soon as you receive the modem (as opposed to waiting to be connected to the NBN).

In addition to traditional internet plans, Vodafone also offers a number of NBN alternatives.

At the time of writing, the provider currently sells two different 5G Home Internet plans. These are differentiated by speed, with the cheaper of the two plans capped at 50Mbps and the latter letting you rev up to 100Mbps.

If you've got a mobile plan through the provider, Vodafone will knock $5 off the monthly cost of its 5G internet plans. Check out the widget below for the full rundown.

Vodafone also offers a single 4G Home Internet plan, which starts at $60 per month.

• Brick-and-mortar stores for in-store help
• Live chat, phone support, and app for service management

Customer support options is another benefit of going with one of the bigger telcos. It’s part of the reason Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone typically charge a little more than most, despite offering you what’s mostly the same internet service.

You can get in touch with Vodafone’s NBN team on 1300 801 122 between 8 am and 10 pm AEST, Monday through to Sunday.

In our provider analysis, Vodafone had a flawless rap sheet when it comes to customer support channels. You can get in touch over the phone, via live chat on the website, through email, even over the telco’s responsive Twitter and Facebook pages.

There’s also the My Vodafone app for iOS and Android. It’s a one-stop-shop for checking your bills, viewing your data usage, and managing your add-ons. It’s not as fully featured as the Optus@Home app, which lets you speed test your connection remotely, and there’s no in-app customer support option, but it’s still a handy tool for those looking to self-serve.

Lastly, there are Vodafone’s brick-and-mortar locations across Australia. There are very few providers with a face-to-face point of contact, and while most of your technical issues won’t be resolved in-store, it’s handy to have someone to talk to if you’re not getting anywhere over the phone.

On the downside, Vodafone's customer satisfaction score is kinda terrible. According to user-generated reviews sites ProductReviews and TrustPilot, Vodafone scores just 1.6 out of 5 stars. Despite that low number, it's important to note that it's about on par with Telstra and Optus' customer satisfaction scores - it seems customer service is something the Big Three all struggle with.

We recommend checking out Aussie Broadband and Mate Communicate if you’re after a provider with an outstanding reputation with its customers. Customer service and transparency are the bread and butter for these two telcos, and their plans and speeds are just as satisfactory.

We scour the NBN plans in our system to compare to find the best. We take into consideration things like cost, connection, customer service, features and benefits and internet speeds. For a full rundown of our approach, click here.

We’ve reviewed loads of Australian Internet Service Providers and rated the best NBN providers. If you’re looking more specific information on cheap unlimited plans, fast NBN 100 plans or the best NBN alternatives, we’ve got guides to those too.

If you’re considering signing up to a mobile plan with Vodafone to take advantage of the loyalty discount, see what we had to say about the coverage underdog’s mobile service.

Otherwise, have a gander at the table below for the most popular broadband plans this week.