Black Friday nbn deals: why the best offer is the one with no expiry date

Every November, the nbn aisle turns into a sale rack. Big banners, bigger discounts, and a tiny asterisk doing a lot of heavy lifting. 

Black Friday nbn deals can be genuinely good. They can also be a six-month honeymoon followed by a price jump you only notice when the bill lands. So before you click "sign me up" on 27 November, let's do the maths. 

The maths the banner leaves out 

Most Black Friday nbn deals follow the same script. You get a discount for the first few months, then the standard price takes over. The discount is real. It's just temporary. 

Here's an illustrative example of how that plays out over two years: 

Illustrative only. This is not a specific provider's offer. 

Same cost in year one, then the gap opens at $15 a month. The promo wins the banner, and the flat price wins the long run. 

The number that matters isn't the price in big letters. It's the one in the fine print: what you'll pay in month seven. 

What The One Plan does differently 

The One Plan is $80 a month for 500/50 Mbps nbn, with typical evening speeds of 500/45 Mbps. (Typical evening speeds are what you can expect during the busy 7pm to 11pm window, when everyone is streaming at once.) 

That's the price on day one, and it's the price when you've been with us for two years. There's no introductory rate, no "then $X", and no need to switch plans after six months to keep the cost down. 

• One price from day one. What you sign up at is what you pay. 

• No lock-in contracts. If it's not for you, you're not trapped. 

• Unlimited data. No bill shock at the end of the month. 

"But the cheap first six months..." 

Fair point. If you're happy to switch providers every six months, chasing each new promo, you can come out ahead. 

It does take diligence, though. You'll need new setups, possible gaps in your connection, a calendar reminder you can't afford to miss, and a repeat of the whole process next year. Some people enjoy the game. Most of us would rather have our Saturday back. 

If you'd rather set it up once and forget about it, a flat price is the easier road. Consider it paying for your time back. 

Flexibility that doesn't cost a fortune 

Your internet needs aren't the same every week, so The One Plan flexes with you through the Exetel app: 

• Warp Speed: Lift your speed to 1000/100 Mbps (typical evening speeds 860/85 Mbps) for an extra $1 a day when you need it, like a big download or a work crunch. 

• Hibernate: Heading away? Dial your speed down and save $1 a day while it's active. 

• Refer a Friend: Get $1 off your bill for every mate you bring on board, as long as you both stay connected to The One Plan. T&Cs apply. 

Faster fixes, not longer queues 

A good price isn't much use if fixing a problem means 40 minutes of hold music. So we've built support to get you sorted quickly. 

Exray, in the Exetel app, runs a check on your connection to help pinpoint what's going on. Mo, our virtual assistant, can help with things like address searches, moving your nbn connection and troubleshooting. 

And if Mo or Exray can't fix it, our live support team picks it up from there, with the diagnostic information already captured. You won't have to start from scratch. 

Is The One Plan available at your address? 

The One Plan is available at addresses with an FTTP or HFC connection, plus addresses eligible for an nbn fibre upgrade. Pop your address into our checker to see where you land. 

The bottom line 

Black Friday is a great time to shop around. Just compare what you'll pay in month seven, not only month one. 

If you'd rather skip the promo maths altogether, The One Plan is a flat $80 a month, no gimmicks!