Belong, owned by Telstra, touts itself as the no-frills NBN provider. We decided to put them to the test and see if their streamlined approach means cutting corners in the areas that matter most – speed, reliability, and especially, customer service.
In our review, we will go through some of the pros and cons we discovered and also discuss customer feedback for Belong, that has been received on trust websites.
The Belong Advantage: Simple and (Usually) Cheap
Belong’s main selling point is its simplicity. They offer 3 core plans, all with unlimited data. Their pricing is often highly competitive, especially during promotional periods.
For example, they offer free mobile services loaded with data if you activate a new service on NBN. Note, that these promos do expire, so always conduct your research.
Off promo, you can find cheaper options on the market with similar inclusions.
I will attach some pricing of their core plans below, for you to compare against the market. They have 3 core plans to cater to the different customer types.
For price-conscious shoppers, this is a definite plus. If you don’t care about bundled streaming services or fancy extras, their straightforward approach can be refreshing.
Speed Test: Acceptable, But Not Amazing
Belong delivers decent speeds for basic NBN users. Their “typical evening speeds” (that’s NBN-speak for what you’ll get during the busiest hours) are on par with other budget providers.
For web browsing, emails, and the occasional Netflix show in standard definition – it gets the job done.
However, power users will likely feel a bit limited. If you regularly do heavy downloads, online gaming, or stream in HD on multiple devices, Belong’s speeds might leave you wanting more.
We also noticed that their higher-tier plans don’t seem to offer much of a real-world speed advantage over their basic options.
Reliability: Hit-or-Miss
During our testing, we experienced some inconsistencies with Belong’s reliability. While overall uptime was decent, we did hit a couple of brief outages and unexpected speed dips during peak times.
This wasn’t a constant problem, but it was noticeable enough to highlight that their network may not be the most robust.
Customer Service: Prepare to Wait…and Wait
Here’s where Belong has a lot of room for improvement. Their customer service was tough to deal with. While we eventually got our issues resolved with online help, it took far longer than we would’ve liked.
Phone support wait times were often excessive, and finding clear answers on their website wasn’t always straightforward. If you’re used to the premium support offered by the likes of Telstra, Belong is a far way away.
The online reputation doesn’t really favor Belong as well, the rating on Product Review is incredibly low, with customers expressing annoyance at a lack of communication.
Belong NBN Internet Review – My Verdict
Belong fills a specific niche in the crowded NBN market. If your budget is your primary concern and your internet needs are modest, Belong can work.
However, be prepared for trade-offs. You’ll get decent enough speeds for casual use, but don’t expect lightning-fast performance. And if you need quick help with technical issues, Belong may leave you frustrated.
Belong has a place in the market, it’s competitive and does offer great service for the most, however, as expressed in the online reviews, they have an opportunity to improve overall processes that could benefit customers.
Consider reading user reviews and comparing Belong with other budget NBN providers to get the full picture.
Disclaimer: The views are those of the author and are based on personal opinion, your experience will differ due to a variety of factors relating to your Internet services.
