Now Broadband Provider Review

Source: DepositPhotos

In a time where the world's information is at your fingertips, internet service provider Now Broadband couldn't have chosen a more apt name. The question is: does the company live up to it? And can you expect everything from customer support to speedy downloads when you want it?

This Now Broadband provider review attempts to answer the above questions. We’ll dive into the company’s products, packages, processes, and more so that you can make an informed decision about whether to move forward with this company.

About Now Broadband

Now Broadband is an award-winning internet service provider. Since 2012, the company has offered affordable broadband deals and packages to individuals and businesses.

It entered the industry to “challenge the big telcos who had forgotten how to treat their customers.” Currently, it ranks as one of the best broadband providers in the country.

This ISP has a network with national coverage and owns and operates all the infrastructure it uses to provide its services. It’s 100% local with offices in Christchurch and Napier (where its headquarters is based). 

Package Overview

From broadband(whole-home WiFi, business installations, etc.) to telephony (unlimited calling), Now Broadband does it all. Customers can choose between copper, ADSL, VDSL, and fibre broadband. 

Subscription Type

The majority of Now Broadband’s plans have open-term contracts. Like other broadband providers, this ISP occasionally runs promotions that have fixed terms (12 or 24-month terms). 

Per section 3.2 of its Fibre Broadband Offer Summary, “If you are on a fixed 12-month term you will need to pay an early termination charge.” Its open-term sign-ups don’t incur early termination charges.

Check out our roundup of no-term contract providers to compare broadband costs and plan differences.

Installation Process and Fees

Source: DepositPhotos

Now Broadband’s fibre installation process takes around 4-6 weeks from start to finish (longer in some cases). 

The company liaises with big fibre companies like Chorus and Unison to connect your home or business to its network via a fibre optic cable.

Standard installations are free of charge (courtesy of the government’s fibre rollout scheme). You can read more about its fibre installation process on this page.

If you’re unsure whether fibre is available in your area, you can use our fibre checker to confirm.

With Now’s ADSL and VDSL installation processes, you’ll need an ADSL/VDSL-capable router. It’s likely the copper lines necessary to transmit internet data run through your area, as ADSL is widely available in the country.

Now can provide a router or configure the one you already have (as long as it meets the above-mentioned criteria). The company charges a $120 setup charge and a $14 delivery charge if you decide to get one of its routers.

Additional Services

For an additional fee, you can get Now Broadband’s Home Tech Assist support services. It's a 12-month membership subscription that provides access to the company's "techsperts." 

These professionals will be on call to provide in-home assistance for WiFi, smart home devices, and IT-related issues. There's also an option for remote membership which provides unlimited phone support.

You can also call them in for one-off jobs and pay an hourly rate that starts at $35!

Other add-ons Now Broadband provides include its phone and smart service bundles, which we explain in more detail in another section.

Now Broadband Hardware

Source: Nownz.co.nz

Now Broadband offers a range of WiFi units as part of its Whole-Home WiFi service. You can get a device that fits your home’s layout, size, and internet needs.

The routers include:

• 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch (TL-SG1005D V8) - $30
• Whole Home Wi-Fi: 1 Unit (TP Link M4 Deco) - $120
• Whole Home Wi-Fi: 2 Units (TP Link M4 Deco) - $240
• Whole Home Wi-Fi: 3 Units (TP Link M4 Deco) - $360

The company lets existing customers split the cost of each router over a 12 or 24-month period. You can talk to the Now team via email at [email protected] or phone at 0800 438 669.

Speed

Download and upload speeds vary across Now broadband’s capped and unlimited data plans. For example, the advertised speeds for the ADSL version of its Business Everyday plan are 9 Mbps (download) and 1 Mbps (upload). For comparison, the VDSL version of the same plan has advertised speeds of 36 Mbps and 9 Mbps (download and upload in that order).

Meanwhile, its fibre plans reach speeds of 306/108 Mbps. You can upgrade to even faster (up to 846/497 Mbps). However, it takes approximately 48 hours for the change to take effect, due to Now Broadband having to contact the local fibre company.

Regardless, the company is adamant that your service won't be affected during the change. It states "There will be little to no downtime" during the change-over period.

Also, Now Broadband is transparent about its speeds. It declares on its website that “you may experience a higher or lower speed than these averages.”

If you’re unsure whether your internet is hitting its maximum speed, you can always use an internet speed tester to check.

Customer Service/Support

Source: Nownz.co.nz

Now Broadband provides excellent customer support. Between 2020 and 2022, the company won the Canstar Blue award for its service and customer service (among other categories).

If you experience any issues with your Now broadband plan, you can reach the company's customer support representatives in two ways, namely:

• Telephone: Call the Now broadband helpdesk at 0800 GET Now (0800 438 669). It's open from 8 am to 9 pm during weekdays and 8:30 am to 5 pm on weekends.
• Email: You can email the company by filling out the form on the website's contact page. Make sure to specify whether you need help with a personal or business broadband plan.

In addition, the company's dedicated team of support staff personnel reside in Napier and Christchurch. If you live close to those areas, you can pop in during office hours. 

The Napier address is as follows:

2 Bridge Street

Ahuriri

Napier 4110

Its Christchurch office address is: 

Boxed Quarter - Level 1

270 St Asaph Street

Christchurch Central

Christchurch 8011

You can also get support for “quick fixes” (e.g., dead spots, slow speeds, disconnections, etc.) by using its Now Assist smartphone app. The software gives you DIY quick fixes for common problems.

Finally, Now Broadband has several articles on its website you can read to get DIY help. You can troubleshoot technical issues and administer your account without contacting anyone from the company.

Plans and Pricing

Now broadband has three broadband plans for individuals. They support ADSL, VDSL, and fibre broadband connections.

• 125GB Plan: This plan currently costs $79. It supports all three broadband connection types.
• Unlimited Plan: Now’s Unlimited Plan costs $89 at present. It too supports the three broadband options. 
• Ultra Unlimited Plan: The Ultra Unlimited Plan costs $102 currently. It has average download and upload speeds of up to 846 Mbps (download) and 497 Mbps (upload). This plan supports fibre broadband connectivity alone.

Please note that the above-quoted prices will change from the 1st of August 2023. From that point onwards, the 125GB, Unlimited Plan, and Ultra Unlimited plan will cost $85, $95, and $105 respectively.

In addition, it has three fibre broadband plans aimed at businesses:

• Business Everyday: This plan has two versions; a capped one that provides 200GB of data and an unlimited version. The former version costs $89 while the latter costs $99. Both exclude goods and services tax (GST). Both support fibre, ADSL, and VDSL connectivity.
• Business Fibre 900: Business Fibre 900 costs $129. It too excludes GST.

Aside from capped and unlimited broadband plans, Now also has mobile and landline broadband plans. You can get a home phone line for $10 per month and a smart service bundle (comprising caller ID, voicemail, and call divert) for $5 a month. 

The company also sells calling packs that provide unlimited calls to landlines in New Zealand and countries overseas. They include:

• Unlimited NZ landlines - $10 per month
• Unlimited NZ and Australia landlines - $20 per month
• International Top 10 landlines - $25 per month
• International Top 20 landlines - $30 per month

The top 10/20 landlines are (in order):

• New Zealand
• Australia
• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Canada
• USA
• China
• Singapore
• South Africa
• India
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Netherlands
• Italy
• South Korea; and
• Taiwan

Calls to the above countries (excluding New Zealand, which provides unlimited national calling) have a 2-hour maximum duration.

Finally, it sells two mobile calling packs to mobile numbers within New Zealand. One provides 100 minutes at a cost of $10 per month and the other 250 minutes for $20 a month.

Final Verdict

If you're looking for one of the best broadband providers this country has to offer, Now Broadband is an excellent option to consider.

It has everything you'd want from a provider, including blazing-fast internet speeds, excellent customer support, and a range of affordable plans.

For the above reasons and more, we highly recommend this ISP!