Internode now offering 1TB broadband

update Internode has become the latest internet service provider (ISP) to launch an ADSL broadband plan featuring a terabyte of broadband quota.

Simon Hackett (Credit: Internode)

However, the Internode plan will cost customers significantly more than rival plans launched over the past few weeks by the likes of iiNet, Primus and TPG.

The new Internode plan will come with a terabyte of data and retail for $149.95 per month when bundled with Internode's NodeLine telephone service (which will cost customers an additional $34.95 a month). Alternatively, customers can bundle the plan with a third-party phone line, which changes the price to $159.95, or they can order a naked DSL plan without a phone line for $179.95.

In comparison, iiNet's terabyte plan will cost customers between $99.95 and $119.95 per month, depending on whether they choose an ADSL1 or ADSL2+ connection and whether they bundle a telephone line with the connection.

TPG's service starts at just $69.99 a month, while Primus' plan comes with a slightly increased download quota and will cost customers between $99.95 and $119.95 per month.

Internode was not immediately available to comment on the disparity. However, in a statement, the ISP's managing director Simon Hackett said the company's terabyte plan was the first "real" terabyte plan in the Australian market.

"Our plans let you use your quota whenever you want," he said. "That's in stark contrast to existing high-end market plans that have split their quota into peak and off-peak amounts, with the off-peak only available for a minority of the time."

The new plans will be available to customers who use Internode's own DSL infrastructure or that of its wholesale partner Optus, although Internode is pledging to update its plans which use Telstra's infrastructure once it finishes pricing negotiations. The ISP has this infrastructure available in more than 300 telephone exchanges nationally.

Internode has also boosted the data quota in its "Easy Broadband" plans. The initial Easy Broadband plan (which costs from $49.95 a month) will now have 100GB a month included, up from 50GB. Meanwhile, 200GB, 300GB and 600GB plans have been introduced from $69.95, $89.95 and $99.95 a month price points respectively.

Additionally, Internode has released new analog telephone services, dubbed NodeLine HomePlus and NodeLine BizPlus, which cost $34.95 and $39.95 a month and include the first $5 of phone calls each month in the price of the plan. The new broadband plans will be available next week.

(Credit: Internode)

Updated at 6:16pm, 7 September 2010: the terabyte plans are not available on iiNet's Naked DSL product.