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Internet Service Providers in Australia - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Michael Doyle Michael Doyle Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: July 2025 ANZSIC J5911

Revenue

$6.5bn

2025-26

$6.5bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

10,185

Businesses

1,288

Wages

$X.Xbn

Internet Service Providers in Australia industry analysis

The Internet Service Providers industry has suffered from declining revenue over the past few years despite consumers' increased reliance on the internet. Market share concentration is declining as intense competition from small-scale providers offering attractive packages has driven demand away from the major incumbents like Telstra. This price competition has forced major players to push down their prices, eroding profit margins and overall industrywide revenue. Cost-of-living pressures have led consumers to opt for lower-cost, lower-speed internet plans, although demand for high-speed services persists among tech-savvy households and businesses. With the NBN rollout now saturated and mobile, wireless and satellite technologies providing strong alternatives, traditional ISPs face greater challenges in acquiring new customers and sustaining revenue. Nonetheless, growing data consumption for cloud computing, streaming and remote work continues to support investment in faster, more reliable infrastructure, although providers must compete aggressively on both price and service quality to retain and expand their customer base. Overall, revenue is projected to contract at an annualised 4.5% to $6.5 billion through the end of 2024-25. Revenue is expected to sink 2.2% in 2024-25.

Trends and Insights

  • Market share concentration has declined as new low-cost entrants intensify competition. Established ISPs have faced downwards pressure on prices, pushing down industrywide revenue and profitability.
  • NBN connections have taken over as cable and DSL diminishes. The NBN rollout has spread across Australia, enabling providers to offer the most efficient internet products available.
  • The closer to population centres, the better for ISPs. Proximity to downstream subscribers also allows for easier accessibility to businesses.
  • A few major players continue to dominate the ISP industry despite growing competition. High infrastructure and regulatory barriers help the largest ISPs, like Telstra and Optus, maintain substantial market share, though their dominance is being gradually eroded.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 4.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $6.5bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Market share concentration has declined amid intense price competition and industry fragmentation

  • Market share concentration has fallen in recent years, with the top four providers’ revenue share declining from 84.5% in 2019-20 to 79.5% in 2024-25. This results from the rise of small-scale ISPs offering attractive, low-cost plans to attract customers and gain market share.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Internet Service Providers in Australia
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Market saturation will constrain subscriber growth and revenue expansion

  • Industry saturation will be a defining challenge over the outlook period, as most Australians and businesses already have reliable internet access and subscriber growth has plateaued. This is why revenue growth is set to be slow across the Internet Service Providers industry. Market maturity will limit providers’ ability to boost revenue from traditional broadband customers, forcing ISPs to pivot towards customer retention, upselling and new value-added services like cybersecurity, bundled streaming and smart home integration.

Biggest companies in the Internet Service Providers in Australia

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Telstra
2,165.4
TPG Telecom
1,416.4
SingTel Optus
982.1

To view the market share and analysis for all 5 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Internet Service Providers in Australia
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Digital subscriber line (DSL), NBN 12Mbps and NBN 25Mbps. Digital subscriber line (DSL) is the largest segment of the Internet Service Providers in Australia.

Trends and Insights

Consumers are finding a balance between the affordability and reasonable wholesale speed of NBN 50Mbps

  • The third and most popular tier fibre connection that ISPs offer is the NBN 50Mbps. This connection type's reasonable bandwidth is serviceable for most activities and is appealing to a wide range of consumers while being cost-effective. That's why NBN 50Mbps is the most prominent segment in the Internet Service Providers industry.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

The Internet Service Providers industry retails Internet services to businesses, households and governments, including providers who own or lease telecommunications infrastructure. Internet services are provided through dial-up, integrated services, digital networks and fixed broadband connections. The Internet Service Providers also offers internet-reliant telecommunications services, including voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP).

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia include NBN 12Mbps, NBN 25Mbps, NBN 50Mbps, NBN 100Mbps, Digital subscriber line (DSL), Cable networks, Dial-up networks, Satellite networks and Fixed-wireless networks.

Companies

Companies covered in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia include Telstra, TPG Telecom and SingTel Optus.

Purchase this report to view all 5 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia include fibre-to-the-premises (fttp), isp, voice over internet protocol (voip) and telco.

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 5910 - Internet Service Providers in Australia

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Market share concentration has declined as new low-cost entrants intensify competition. Established ISPs have faced downwards pressure on prices, pushing down industrywide re...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

NBN connections have taken over as cable and DSL diminishes. The NBN rollout has spread across Australia, enabling providers to offer the most efficient internet products ava...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The closer to population centres, the better for ISPs. Proximity to downstream subscribers also allows for easier accessibility to businesses.

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

A few major players continue to dominate the ISP industry despite growing competition. High infrastructure and regulatory barriers help the largest ISPs, like Telstra and Opt...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Telstra, the industry's largest company, continues to lose market share to smaller ISPs. Affordable pricing and flexible service options from rising competitors like Aussie B...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Telstra's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of TPG Telecom's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of SingTel Optus's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 2 additional companies

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Telstra, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for TPG Telecom, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for SingTel Optus, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for 2 additional companies

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The ACCC is fiercely monitoring and dealing fines to significant service providers. Internet service providers must maintain advertised speeds and comply with competition law...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Wages as a share of revenue have swelled as ISPs offer competitive salaries to attract and retain skilled labourers. Growing cybersecurity concerns are driving demand for spe...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia in 2025?

The market size of the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia is $6.5bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia in 2025?

There are 1,288 businesses in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia?

The Internet Service Providers industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia?

The Internet Service Providers industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

Has the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 4.5 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia?

The biggest companies operating in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia are Telstra, TPG Telecom and SingTel Optus

What does the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia include?

NBN 12Mbps and NBN 25Mbps are part of the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia?

The company holding the most market share in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia is Telstra.

How competitive is the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Internet Service Providers industry in Australia.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Australia include:

  • Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • Australian Taxation Office
  • Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

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