Search

Orcon Broadband Review -- OBSOLETE - is now 2Degrees

We review Orcon broadband's plans and outline the pros and cons of each, benefits and how to get the best price
Updated 28 March 2024

Summary: 
  • Orcon in a Nutshell: Orcon is the third-largest broadband provider in New Zealand with an approximate market share of 13%. Besides its leading position as a broadband provider, Orcon is a top electricity and mobile operator in the country.
  • Coverage: Orcon provides broadband services to most of New Zealand, to check availability in your area enter your address on Orcon's broadband page.

How to get the best price on Orcon broadband plan: 
  • New Customers: Plans with Orcon are cheapest when you sign up for 12-months and bundle your Broadband plan with other Orcon services.
  • Renewing: If you're happy with Orcon and would like to continue, the best approach is to compare the pricing when your contract comes up for renewal. If Orcon is offering a better deal than the renew rate, contact their support team and ask for them to apply it to your account.

Our review: 
In this guide, we detail the pros and cons of their plans, compare them side-by-side, and outline how to choose the best Orcon broadband plan for you. We cover:

Christopher Walsh, Founder of MoneyHub, shares his views on comparing broadband providers:

  • Broadband plans have never been cheaper or faster, thanks to a nationwide fibre rollout, more competition and better technology.
  • That being said, we believe what matters is reliability, speed, price and support.
  • Our best broadband providers guide and this review help you make an informed choice. Our research team is committed to keeping everything up to date so you can easily find the best deal. 
  • We don't publish complicated tables or tools for comparing broadband. Instead, we focus on making you aware of the best deals where the pricing is fixed for at least 12 months.
  • If you have something we need to know about, please contact our research team - we would love to hear from you.
  • Unlike other broadband comparison websites, we have no relationship with any broadband company, and we're proud that our guides are 100% independent.
Christopher Walsh
MoneyHub Founder

Orcon Broadband Plans, Setup Charges and Add-ons

Know this first: When comparing broadband providers, service set-up charges are an essential part of the deal. 
  1. Set-up fees: Orcon does not charge any set-up fee for for the Fibre and Fibre Max plans (if they are standard installations) - that is, when you already have an existing Fibre connection at home. If your household does not already have a fibre connection, you may have to pay a non-standard installation fee of $199.
  2. Modem: When signing up with Orcon, you have the option to either bring your own modem (BYO) or use the one provided by Orcon for free (a shipping and handling fee of $14.95 applies).
  3. Exit Fees: If you terminate your contract early, you’ll be subject to a termination fee of $250
  4. Discounts:
  • If you bundle your broadband with Orcon Power, you get 10% off on both bills when you pay on time.
  • Also, if you have an Orcon Mobile monthly plan, you get $5 off per month on your broadband bill. You are allowed to add up to four mobile plans for a total discount of $20.

Optional Add-Ons:
Orcon offers a number of optional add-ons that you can select during the sign-up process:
  • A voiceline can be included for $10 per month. Additional “calling packs” can be purchased to make calls local and international calls, these are priced individually.
  • Static IP: this can be added for $10 per month
  • Priority Support: for $15 per month, Orcon will prioritise any support requests you raise either by phone or email

Orcon Broadband Customer Service and Outage Support

  • Orcon's Technical Team Hours are 8 am - 10 pm, during weekdays, and 8 am to 8 pm on weekends.
  • Unlike other broadband providers, most support queries are taken by email instead of the phone. Nevertheless, Orcon does provide a free Technical Support phone 0800 13 14 15 if you are not able to use the email channel.
  • Alternatively, you can use the Live Chat feature of the Orcon website from 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Thursday.
  • Last but not least, you could also check Orcon’s knowledge base.

Comparing Orcon Plans

Orcon is focused on Fibre  plans. We outline the details of these offerings, as well as the pros and cons of each. 

Orcon Fibre Plan Review

Summary: The Fibre Plan offers enough bandwidth and speed to meet the expectations of large families requiring a fast and reliable connection to enjoy video streaming services on multiple screens simultaneously  
The Pros: 
  1. Unlimited data transfer
  2. Excellent value, even without any additional discount.
  3. Free router rental (shipping fees apply)
  4. You can bundle broadband with Orcon mobile and/or power for additional discounts
  5. Very fast, good for moderate/intensive internet usage
 
The Cons: 
  1. No open-term plan are available
  2. All plans come with a hefty early termination fee

Orcon Fibre Pro Broadband Plan Review

Summary: Orcon’s Pro Fibre Plan is ideal for large families, content creators and online professionals in need of a super-fast broadband service either for work or fun.  
The Pros: 
  1. Unlimited data transfer
  2. Great value for a Max fibre connection
  3. Free router rental (shipping fees apply)
  4. You can bundle broadband with Orcon mobile and/or power for additional discounts.
  5. Ideal for intensive internet usage
 
The Cons: 
  1. No open-term plan are available
  2. All plans come with a hefty early termination fee

Which Orcon Broadband Plan is the Best?

  • Our view is that, for most homes, the Fibre Broadband Plan offers the best value for your money. Moreover, if you combine it with power or mobile services from Orcon, you can get even better value.
  • On the other hand, for professionals working from home, the value offered by the Fibre Pro plan is difficult to ignore. For slightly more money,  you can enjoy a considerably faster connection, ideal for bandwidth-hungry applications. 

Choosing the Right Orcon Plan - Fibre vs Fibre Pro

To determine which plan best suits your needs, consider the following specifications and features:
 
1. Connection Speed: In general terms:
  • The Fibre Plan is more suitable for medium and large-sized families that require additional bandwidth to enjoy video streaming from services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+, etc.
  • The Fibre Pro Plan offers more than adequate speed for enjoying 4k video streaming in multiple screens, high-quality audio streaming, content creation, gaming, and more.
  • If, like most people, you're looking for a specific speed, data limit or have a fixed budget, we suggest reviewing our broadband comparison. This trusted list outlines our top providers and is grouped by unlimited fibre, open plans, capped broadband, 4G/5G and gamer-focused plans. We shortlist the best plans that deliver fast speeds, low (or zero) set-up costs, flexible terms, competitive monthly costs and great support.

.
2. Flexibility:
  • Evaluating the flexibility that Orcon offers, there is one positive and one negative factor. On the one hand, Orcon allows you to add a large number of additional services at reasonable prices, and even get discounts. But on the other hand, all plans require signing fixed-term contract, which can be a deal-breaker for many Kiwis, especially when you consider the early termination fee.
 
3. Set-Up Charges:
  • One of the great advantages that Orcon offers is that the Fibre plans come with free modem rental and free installation, so the only thing you have to pay is $14.95 for shipping and handling of the modem.
 
4. Monthly Costs:
  • One of the great advantages that Orcon offers are its rates. The Fibre and Pro Fibre plans offer an excellent cost/benefit ratio. Furthermore, since these plans offer both the modem and the installation for free, they become an exciting alternative to consider.

Orcon Broadband Frequently Asked Questions

To help you decide if Orcon is right for your home, we've included several frequently asked questions to help you know more about the service.

Is Orcon available at my address?

Most likely - you'll need to type in your address to see if you're covered. You can do that here under See Availability.

​Does Orcon offer a free modem?

Yes, Orcon offers a free modem with every firbe plan. If you prefer, you could also set up your own modem. For further information regarding using your own modem read Orcon Knowledge Base.

Does Orcon offer additional perks?

Yes, Orcon offers many perks with most of its plans. From a Google Nest Wi-fi Pro to discounts on other services, Orcon is one of the providers who add more value to their broadband plans.

Does Orcon offer an open term contract?

No, unfortunately, Orcon does not offer open term contracts.

Does Orcon offer discounts for broadband plans?

Yes - You can get a discount when you bundle broadband and power services; additionally, if you have a mobile contract with Orcon you can also get money off for each mobile plan you add to your account, up to a limit.

Who owns Orcon?

Orcon is owned by Vocus Group Limited, a telecommunications company based in Sydney, Australia.

Does Orcon offer a home phone add-on with its broadband plans?

Yes – Orcon does provide phone lines, as part of its portfolio of add-on services.
Related Guides