Introduction
Allegedly one of the fasting growing Internet service providers in Australia, and with a title that sends up the larger brand iiNet, aaNet if currently owned by Eftel and offers ADSL broadband and ADSL2+.
Internet Services
aaNet offer relatively few plans for standard ADSL broadband, when compared with other Australian ISPs. Of course, if one of these plans happens to suit what you’re looking for in a provider, a small range of plans will not be much of a drawback.
At 512 kbps down and 128 kbps up, aaNet offer 2 GB of download data for $29.90 a month. At the maximum speed of 8192 / 384 kbps, they offer a 10 GB download limit for $64.90, and 50 GB for $94.90. This is one of the cheapest rates available for 50 GB a month in Australia, though it does require the bundling of phone and Internet services.
If you’re lucky enough to be in an area that allows ADSL2+ services (these are usually metropolitan regions) aaNet offers a pay-as-you-go plan. Charging a base rate of $5.99 per month, the company will charge $1.50 per GB downloaded during peak periods, and $0.75 during off-peak times. The terms “pre-paid” and “off-peak” refer to the times certain download limits apply. Off-peak times are usually between midnight and midday.
What is most important to be aware of before signing up with aaNet is that in order to receive their internet service, users must also have their phone services provided by aaNet, at a cost of $29.90 per month (this is the average rate). While other Internet companies give the option of bundling their phone and Internet services, aaNet is perhaps the only Australian company that makes switching over to them a non-negotiable aspect of their standard ADSL service. (This is not the case with ADSL2+, which is available separately)
Customers who choose to go with aaNet will also have 60 MB or free web space to start their own website, 48 gaming servers and 200 GB of locally stored data which will not affect the monthly capacity.
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Very competitive pricing for higher download limits
- Best deal available for 50 GB a month
Cons:
- Small number of plans
- Very few options for slower speeds
- Internet must be bundled with phone service
Conclusion
Like any big decision, the choice of which ISP to give your money to should not be made lightly. For this reason, it’s worth carefully considering the plans offered by each company in your area, the nature of service that is provided and how well these plans fit your online needs.
While aaNet only offer a couple of different plans to their customers, there is still money to be saved if their service suits your lifestyle. If you’re planning on making large amounts of downloads and are willing to move your phone services to aaNet, then they have some of the best deals available in Australia.
