With two solid arrays of broadband plans on offer, Trustpower and Slingshot both provide significant food for thought when deciding on your next internet subscription. Trustpower is unusual in that the company’s primary business is also energy, while Slingshot is a more conventional internet provider, although its range of products is anything but. We’ve delved into the plans offered by both, so that you can select the best plan for your home internet needs.
What does Trustpower offer?
Trustpower provides ADSL and VDSL broadband connections along with Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB), which is a full fibre connection that offers much faster downloading speeds. Plans come with either 100GB of downloads or unlimited data, and you can bundle each plan with a home phone for an extra $5 per month – this provides you with PAYG calls to landline and mobile numbers. You can then pick from a large number of different call packages to add extra value to your plan.
Trustpower offers a unique bundle package with most plans: you can bundle your broadband with an electricity subscription and receive a $30/month discount for the first year of the 24 month plan. You can also choose from one of five different download speed tiers, each of which costs a little more for higher speeds. The base tier already includes 30/10 Mbps speeds – faster than any ADSL or VDSL connection – meaning Ultra-Fast Broadband (UFB) is certainly the best choice if you’re a heavy internet user. Check out the full plan details below:
UFB
| Cost per month | $79 | $89 |
| Data | 100GB | Unlimited |
| Download speeds | 30/10 Mbps (standard)
100/20 Mbps ($5/month) 100/50 Mbps ($10/month) 200/20 Mbps ($20/month) 200/200 Mbps ($30/month) |
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| Home phone | $5/month, PAYG calls | |
ADSL/VDSL
| Data | 100GB | Unlimited |
| ADSL | $74 | $89 |
| VDSL | $79 | $89 |
| Home phone | $5/month, PAYG calls | |
What does Slingshot offer?
Slingshot provides a plethora of fully customisable broadband plans, available on both ADSL and fibre connections. There are three different data allowances to choose from, along with your choice of a Fibre speed boost (if available) and a homeline connection. Slingshot provides free installation at most NZ addresses, meaning hefty upfront costs are a thing of the past.
Bonuses include a free Google Chromecast for streaming media to your TV, and the ability to save $5 per month on a Slingshot Mobile plan when you bundle it with your broadband plan. There’s also data rollover with no expiry, meaning your unused monthly data builds up over the course of the year. You can choose from a 12 month contract ($20 modem fee) or a 24 month contract (free modem); check out the full plan options below:
| Price per month | $69.95 | $79.95 | $89.95 |
| Data | 100GB | 150GB | Unlimited |
| Download speeds | ADSL: 12/1 Mbps
Ultra-Fast Fibre: 30/10 Mbps Super-Fast speed boost: 100/20 Mbps (+$5 per month) |
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| Home phone options | Unlimited national calls ($5/month)
Unlimited national + 1000 mobile mins ($15/month) 100 hours of international calls ($10-$25, depending on country) |
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How do the two compare?
Trustpower and Slingshot provide two distinctly different market perspectives. Trustpower offers just two different data allowances, but their wide range of choice with regards to download speeds makes up for this in a big way. On the other hand, Slingshot provides more data options, and offers much better value call packages for your home phone.
The competition amongst basic plans seems to be won easily by Slingshot, which offers a 100GB plan for $10/month less than Trustpower does – even Trustpower’s cheaper ADSL plan is still $5 more per month. Their Unlimited plans, however, are even, with both priced at just under $90 per month. If you’re looking for some faster speeds for your unlimited plan, then Trustpower may prove the best bet – both providers offer 100Mbps downloads for an extra $5, but only Trustpower offers four more speed options; these top out at a whopping 200/200 Mbps, great for streaming, gaming and working from home.
For customers who need plenty of phone calls, Slingshot is by far the better provider – their home phone package brings unlimited national calls for $5 a month rather than just PAYG rates, and 1000 mobile minutes are available for another $10 on your bill. Trustpower’s packages, by contrast, start at $16-$20 for landline calls to NZ and Aus.
Overall, both providers offer plenty to like, and both can provide a good broadband plan to suit your usage. If you prefer high speeds and are willing to pay more, Trustpower is probably the provider for you; if you like the more traditional combination of lower prices and more phone calls, then Slingshot would likely be your company of choice. For more on both ISPs and other broadband providers, check out Canstar Blue’s star ratings.
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