Best Cheap Internet NZ: Best Value Plans and Deals

Jul 13, 2020
Broadband
Mobile Phone
Power
By Staff writer

Finding cheap internet NZ is not a myth, no matter how you look at it. The key to pinpointing the best value for money is knowing what exactly you need. What we mean by that is, simply, that you should define your monthly online habits and thus get the idea on the kinds of broadband plans that would benefit you. 
Compare cheap internet deals at Glimp today!

Sadly, not many New Zealanders know what data usage would suit them. That is to say, many people tend to opt for unlimited packages although they don't necessarily need them. According to research, most Kiwis spend 4 hours and 16 minutes online every day, on average, with the two dominant activities being online shopping and video streaming. Browsing social media follows closely behind. So, the right question here would be, what is the bandwidth you need to enjoy your favourite online activities? 

Put simply, for checking emails and similar activities you don't need more than 1 Mbps. 6 Mbps will cover up for limited file sharing and watching lower quality video. 10 Mbps are sufficient for streaming HD video. 25 Mbps are required for ultra HD video. 

By comparison, Skype's minimum requirements for HD video calls are 1.5 Mbps speed, Netflix's - 1.5 Mbps and 5 Mbps for HD quality, and YouTube's - 0.5 Mbps. 2 Mbps are sufficient for streaming lossless music and SD quality video. Which of the services and online activities do you enjoy on a daily basis? Answering this question will help you narrow the selection down. 

Cheapest Naked Broadband: ISPs and Plans. 

If you are unfamiliar with the term, "naked" broadband is a DSL type that doesn't require a home phone. Given that many Kiwis rely on mobile phones for calls, finding cheapest naked broadband options does seem like a good idea.  The good news is - nearly all ISPs offer this service - you only need pick the best plan at the cheapest price. 

Keep in mind that the choice of the optimum internet provider NZ also depends on your location. ADSL may well be the most common internet connection type in New Zealand, but its speed depends on the distance between your home and the broadband cabinet. ADSL is characterised by way higher download- than upload speeds, so if your online activities call for higher upload speeds, look up ADSL2+ deals first. ADSL2+ may deliver up to 24 Mbps download speed, but in order to qualify for the service, your home must not be more than 2km away from the broadband cabinet. In addition, longer distances imply lower speeds, so keep this in mind as well. 

Further out, let us not omit fibre internet here. This is a simplified and, therefore, widely used term for UFB, short for Ultra-Fast Broadband. UFB speeds can reach 1 Gbps, albeit nationwide standard presently stands at 300 Mbps. Still, the speed is bound to go up, not down and, even at this point, UFB plans remain the fastest ones available.

Internet Providers NZ: A Brief Overview. 

Internet providers NZ are many and offer a wide palette of plans catering to a wide audience. Offered are packages from DSL to fibre, with contracts ranging from  6 to 24 months, generally speaking. Note that many ISPs also offer no-term contracts, which is particularly beneficial for users who plan to move house or change their broadband plan as soon as a better option appears. If you are uncertain as to which contract duration to choose, opt for a no-term contract. Long-term contracts may be cheaper, but they also come with an early termination fee. Another offer not to miss out on is the no throttling clause - it guarantees your speed will not slow down later on.  

Keeping all these variables in mind, it is time to choose a cheap internet NZ plan about to meet your needs. If you find more than one, no worries! Simply compare all of them at Glimp to find the optimum deal! Best-ranked ISPs, in terms of customer service and network performance, are listed below:

  1. Stuff Fibre - offers no-term contracts and unlimited data at fast speeds;
  2. Skinny Broadband - offers 40 GB, 100 GB, and unlimited internetplans New Zealand;
  3. Flip - offers 100 GB and unlimited plans;
  4. Slingshot - offers 100 GB, 150 GB, and unlimited plans;
  5. Orcon - offers ADSL broadband, VDSL broadband, and naked ultra-fast broadband;
  6. Spark - offers 60 GB, 120GB, and unlimited plans;
  7. 2Degrees - offers 80 GB and unlimited plans;
  8. Vodafone - offers ADSL, VDSL, fibre, and fibre X plans;
  9. Trustpower - offers ADSL, VDSL, and fibre plans. 

Look for local ISPs, too, as they may often present more beneficial offers than these prominent providers. The size of the company rarely matters in terms of quality, so make sure to compare all broadband deals indiscriminately.  

SINGLING out the Best Cheap Internet NZ Plan: Finishing Touches. 

Finding a cheap internet NZ plan, as you can see, is way easier than you first thought. With the market expanding rapidly, more deals are certain to follow. So, think big! Even if you cannot afford faster broadband at the moment, with the new developments certain to present themselves in the near future, the prices of the existing plans are bound to go down. Wireless and satellite networks have gained popularity steadily, and BPL and LTE technologies are likely to make their grand appearance soon enough, especially as the somewhat unsatisfactory coverage in rural areas calls for significant improvements in terms of broadband. 

Stick to your monthly data usage, mind your location, and don't forget that the number of devices accessing the web does affect broadband speed. However, many routers have the bandwidth control option, and so do most computer programs. This handy option allows for limiting  bandwidth for each device, so no worries if your child is fond of reading comic books online! You'll still get to enjoy Netflix binging! Compare cheap internet deals at Glimp today!

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Shane Egan (Popup) , 2023-07-10

Excellent service. Responsive and easy to deal with. Got me an awesome deal on Broadband. Well worth calling to see what they can do. 👍

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