Comparison Web site WhistleOut backs the Labor government's claim that Australians would benefit from using the National Broadband Network over current ADSL 2+ and line rental plans.

WhistleOut estimated consumers would save 23 per cent to 43 per cent if they subscribe to NBN entry-level speeds of 12 Mpbs and 25 Mbps compared with ADSL 2+ and line rental plans.

The basis of the comparison is laying side-by-side the prices of four Internet service providers - aNet, Internode, Exetel and iPrimus. The finding of Whistleout is that on a per gigabyte usage basis, many NBN plans cost less.

But if subscribers opt for faster speed, NBN plans are more expensive by 66 per cent across the four providers for top NBN speeds of 100 Mbps, Whistleout Director Cameron Craig pointed out.

The price difference, however, is more than made up by the fast speed it would take to download. At the NBN highest possible speed of 100 Mbps, it would take 7 hours and 9 minutes to download compared to 9 days, 22 hours and 36 minutes for the largest usage quota on ADSL 2+ plan of 1,000 GB.

Movies would take just one to two minutes to download at top NBN speed, Mr Cameron said.

Since only 10 per cent of Australians have access to high speeds in metro cities and 90 per cent still use dial-up Internet access using ADSL 2+, Craig said the NBN would democratise high-speed Internet access for a majority of Australians.

On top of savings for Aussies, NBN would no longer seek an increase in wholesale broadband prices of up to 5 per cent above inflation.

NBN Chief Executive Mike Quigley told a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday that the company has withdrawn its request from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to use the price adjustment mechanism pegged on the consumer price index.

"Our intention in our business plan is to decrease prices, to provide a return for the government over the long term and keep prices as low as possible," The Australian quoted Quigley saying.

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