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Wireless Nation Broadband Review

We review Wireless Nation's broadband plans and outline their pros and cons, benefits, and how to get the best price
Updated 28 September 2023

Summary: 
  • Wireless Nation in a Nutshell: Wireless Nation is a leading broadband provider in New Zealand that, aside from offering broadband and phone line services in urban areas, specializes in serving rural and hard-to-reach areas.
  • Coverage: Wireless Nation broadband services are not available in all of New Zealand. To find out what type of service is available in your area, visit their website. 
How to get the best price on a Wireless Nation broadband plan:
  1. New Customers: Most of the plans offered by Wireless Nation are open-term, except for their fibre plans. Unless there is a seasonal offer, it doesn't make much of a difference if you go for an open term or fixed term contract.
 
Our review:
​This guide details Wireless Nation's broadband plans, their pros and cons, compares the plans side-by-side and outline how to choose the best Wireless Nation 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

Wireless Nation Broadband Plans, Setup Charges and Add-ons

Plan
Monthly Cost
Download Speed (Mbps)
Home Wireless 120GB
$69
30
Open
Home Wireless 300GB
$89
30
Open
Home Wireless 1000GB
$99
30
Open
Home Wireless Endless Wifi
$129
30
Open
Fibre 300
$89
300
Open / Fixed
Fibre Max
$109
900
Open / Fixed
Rural Wireless Broadband 300GB
$129.90
30
Open
Rural Wireless Broadband Endless Wifi
$149.90
30
Open
Know this first: When comparing broadband providers, setup charges are an essential part of the deal. In Wireless Nation’s case, set-up fees have a lot to do with the term and the type of connection involved.

  • Connection and modem cost: The cost of the modem and connection depends on the type of contract and the technology you've chosen; the prices are as follows:
- Wireless connection: $329 for the modem plus $16.95 for postage
- Fibre connection: $99 setup fee for open contracts, $0 for fixed-term contracts. If you live in a Chorus Fibre area, you won't need a modem because the Fibre ONT box has built-in wifi functionality and can cover an area of up to 140 square metres. If you live in an area not served by Chorus, you will require a $169 modem. If you need WiFi coverage in an area larger than 140 square metres or a stronger signal, you might need Plume Mesh Wifi, which you can rent for $10 per month or buy for $250 per repeater pod.
  • Exit Fees:  There are no exit fees for the Wireless plan as it's an open-term contract. For fibre plans, the exit fee consists of repaying the free installation and any other sign-up incentives proportionally to when the contract was terminated. The fee is calculated as follows: The early exit fee is 1/12 of $99 for every remaining month on a 12-month contract, plus the value of any promotion offered during sign-up.
  • Data Caps: If you are on a plan that is capped, your speed will be reduced to 1.2 Mbps when you reach the cap, and will go back to normal when your data allowance renews.
  • Discounts: They are not explicitly listed on their website but if you get in touch with the sales team, they might offer discounts or sign-up credit when bundling mobile and broadband.
  • Add-ons: You can add a homeline to your Wireless Nation broadband for $23 per month. If you are on a wireless plan and want a phone line, you will also require an adapter which costs $69.

Wireless Nation Broadband Customer Service and Outage Support

Comparing Wireless Nation Plans: Home Wireless Vs Fibre 300 Vs FibreMax

Wireless Nation offers two fixed-line broadband plans for urban areas, the Fibre 300 Plan and the Fibre Max Broadband Plan. Wireless Nation also offers several wireless plans, for urban areas there are Home Wireless Broadband Plans and they also have Rural Wireless Broadband Plans. Additionally, during the signing up process, you have the option to include a home line plan. We outline the offering of each, as well as the pros and cons.

​Wireless Nation Home Wireless Broadband Plans Review

Summary: The Home Wireless Plan is an efficient and fast solution for families or individuals with moderate Internet usage looking for a hassle-free, no-installation Broadband service. The plans are capped at different capacities, you can choose most suitable one depending on your household's needs.   
The Pros: 
  1. Plug and Play modem, no need for ADSL/VDSL/Fibre installation.
  2. Several plans to choose from.
  3. Open term contract - you can leave with a 5 days’ notice anytime.
  4. A Homeline can be added for a monthly fee plus an initial setup cost (an adapter is needed).
  5. Excellent choice when no copper or fibre connection is available in your area.
  6. Offers enough bandwidth for basic to moderate applications.
 
The Cons: 
  1. You will have to buy a 4G modem from Wireless Nation.
  2. Poor price-value ratio when compared to standard fibre broadband.

Wireless Nation Fibre 300 Unlimited Broadband Plan Review

Summary: The Fibre 300 Unlimited Broadband Plan offers a fast broadband connection and it's good value if this service is available in your area.   
The Pros: 
  1. Fast and reliable connection.
  2. Unlimited data, no caps.
  3. Open term contract available at no extra cost.
  4. Home line option is available.
  5. Free standard installation when signing up for a 12-month term.
  6. No modem needed (if in an area served by Chorus)
 
The Cons: 
  1. If you cancel the fixed-term contract, you will have to pay a termination fee to offset the installation cost plus the value of any promotion offered during sign-up. For more details, read Wireless Nation Terms and Conditions.

Wireless Nation Fibre Max Unlimited Broadband Plan Review

Summary: The Fibre Max Unlimited Broadband Plan is the fastest plan offered by Wireless Nation. As such, it is designed for demanding users who need maximum speed and bandwidth available.   
The Pros: 
  1. Super fast and reliable connection.
  2. Unlimited data, no caps.
  3. Open term contract available at no extra cost.
  4. Home line option is available.
  5. Excellent choice for large families and professionals working from home.
  6. Free standard installation.
  7. No modem needed (if in an area served by Chorus).
 
The Cons: 
  1. The Fibre 300 plan (when available) offers a better cost-benefit ratio.
  2. If you cancel the fixed-term contract, you will have to pay a termination fee to offset the installation cost plus the value of any promotion offered during sign-up. For more details, read Wireless Nation Terms and Conditions.

Wireless Nation's Rural Wireless Broadband Plans Review

Summary: Wireless Nation's RBI (Rural Broadband Initiative) plans provide a reliable broadband service to New Zealand families who live far from major urban areas and don’t have access to copper or fibre connections.  
The Pros: 
  1. A good alternative for rural areas where no copper or fibre is available.
  2. A Homeline can be added for a monthly fee plus an initial setup cost (an adapter is needed).
  3. Adequate speed for basic to moderate internet usage.
 
The Cons:
  1. A modem needs to be purchased, and an adapter is required if you want a homeline.

Which Wireless Nation Broadband Plan is the Best?

In our opinion, the plan that provides the best value for money is Fibre 300 Plan. However, if you live in an urban area and are looking for a quick solution to cover basic needs, then the Wireless Home Broadband plan is a good alternative. Their wireless plans are a good option if you want to have broadband in your batch, given their open term contracts and short notice to terminate and reactivate the service (5 days).

Choosing the Right Wireless Nation Plan - Home Wireless Vs Fibre 300 Vs FibreMax

Wireless Nation offers a wide range of Broadband plans, each targeted at a particular group of users. In this regard, there are several factors to consider before choosing the best plan for your household.
 
1. Connection Speed: In general terms:
  • Wireless Nation’s Home Wireless (4G) Broadband Plans The speed offered by 4G wireless plans makes them an attractive option and they do not require any installation, so you can start using the service almost immediately. Most Home Wireless plans are data capped but some are quite large caps so they might be sufficient for households that don't require unlimited data.
  • Wireless Nation’s Fibre 300 Plan This plan offers a very fast fibre connection and is much faster thanthe 4G wireless connections. This translates into a superior experience when surfing the internet or enjoying online services such Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+ at HD quality. This type of plan could be ideal for professionals who work from home and need a reliable service with sufficient bandwidth.
  • Wireless Nation’s FibreMax Broadband Plan This is the fastest plan offered by Wireless Nation with speeds up to 950/450 Mbps. This level of speed coupled with its incredible bandwidth makes it the ideal plan for large families using 4K video streaming services, developers, gamers, professional traders, and other use cases that require high transfer speeds with extremely low latency.
 
2. Flexibility:
  • All of Wireless nation's plans are offered as open-term contracts, and only the fibre plans offer a fixed-term option. There are no additional charges for choosing an open term contract (other than having to pay for the installation in some cases), so their plans might be attractive to people not wanting to commit to a long term contract.
 
3. Set-Up Charges:
  • Home Wireless plans do not require installation but require you to purchase the 4G modem.
  • Fibre plans require an initial set-up cost that is waived on fixed-term contracts  

4. Monthly Costs:
  • Of Wireless Nation’s plans, we believe that the Fibre 300 is the most cost-effective.
  • In case you subscribe to a wireless plan with a data limit, there is no additional cost for exceeding the cap, you just see the speed reduced considerably until your data allowance renews.
 
5. Additional perks: as for additional perks, Wireless Nation offers free set up fees (on fibre plans) and provides a "Wireless broadband while you wait" for your fibre connection to be set up. Additionally, sometimes they offer sing-up credit when you bundle broadband and mobile services, but you need to get in touch with their sales team to inquire about this.

Wireless Nation Broadband Frequently Asked Questions

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

Is Wireless Nation available at my address?

There is a good chance that broadband service is available at your address as Wireless Nation is one of the top service providers in New Zealand. To verify what type of plans are available in your area, you just have to enter your address on the Wireless Nation page.

Does Wireless Nation offer a free modem?

No, but if you sign up to a fibre plan and are based in an area that is served by the Chorus Network, you don't need a modem since your fibre box has built-in Wifi. If you subscribe to a Wireless plan or live in an area not covered by Chorus, you will need to purchase a modem, or you can bring your own modem and set it up by following the How to set up my BYO modem or router guide.

Does Wireless Nation offer additional perks?

No, aside from the phone line service, Wireless Nation does not offer additional perks.

Does Wireless Nation offer an open term contract?

Yes, Wireless Nation does offer open-term contracts on all their plans.

Does Wireless Nation offer discounts for broadband plans?

Not on an ongoing basis, but check their website for special offers.

Who owns Wireless Nation?

Wireless Nation is owned by its founder Tom Linn and business partner Bill Smale.

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

Yes, Wireless Nation does offer home phone lines with all its fixed-line broadband plans.
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