Have you just moved into a new apartment and need to set up your home internet plan, only to be stunted by your building's connection type? While most new Australian homes and apartments use fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connections, not all are serviced by the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Instead, select properties are serviced by privately owned fibre networks, which require you to sign up for NBN alternatives to connect to the internet.
There are several private fibre network providers in Australia, with one of the biggest being Opticomm, which runs its own grid of fibre optic infrastructure. Opticomm's network can deliver theoretical speeds of up to 1,000Mbps, matching the current fastest speed offered by the NBN.
Opticomm is predominantly found in newly built homes and apartment buildings with networking infrastructure installed during construction, rather than rolled out as part of the NBN.
Opticomm offers the same speed tiers for the most part as the NBN, but there are some limitations to what tier you can purchase based on your location, preferred provider and modem. A notable point of difference here is that not all ISPs provide Opticomm plans – we've included a list of those that do in the FAQs below.
We've rounded up some of the best Opticomm fibre internet plans, each categorised into different speed tiers.
Best Opticomm fibre internet plans
Best Opticomm Fibre 50 plans
Best Opticomm Fibre 100 Plans
Best Opticomm Fibre 250 plans
Best Opticomm Fibre 1000 plans
Opticomm FAQs
Which are the best Opticomm internet providers?
There are more than 50 Australian internet providers that service Opticomm connections. Here are our top picks:
• Aussie Broadband
• Exetel
• Origin
• Superloop
• iiNet
• Launtel
• Telstra
• Swoop
• Leaptel
Are there any ISPs that don't service Opticomm properties?
Yes — surprisingly some of the best NBN providers don't provide plans for Opticomm connections. These providers include:
• Buddy Telco
• AGL
• Dodo
• SpinTel
• Kogan Internet
• Optus
• TPG
• Vodafone
• Tangerine
• More
How do I know if my new property has Opticomm?
If you're not sure if your new apartment or home has Opticomm equipment installed, Opticomm has a handy address checker that can confirm if your property is on the company's private fibre network. Once confirmed, you can navigate to a list of internet service providers that provide Opticomm connections.
That said, you will need to confirm your address again before signing up for your chosen provider, as some Opticomm ISPs don't service all areas, and some locations may have capped speed tiers.
As someone with an Opticomm connection, during my recent move, I had to chop and change providers as my chosen ISP did not service my area, despite having Opticomm plans. This may not be the case for you, but the advice still remains to double-check with Opticomm and your service provider before signing up for a plan.
Is Opticomm better than the NBN?
Opticomm plans do have the potential to provide faster speeds than the NBN, but it depends on whether the fibre network is available at your address. Before considering an Opticomm plan, make sure your property has Opticomm equipment installed.
At the time of writing, Opticomm fibre internet plans are only available to residences that had the network installed during their construction, or if the network is scheduled to be rolled out in select areas. There is currently no option for existing homes or apartments to install the network.
