How Chris C. accidentally hacked his internet bill

Balancing fast internet, flexible plans and a reasonable monthly bill can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack. But for Chris C., a sports-streaming dad from Victoria, it actually happened.

Between working from home a few days a week, keeping up with reality TV binges and making sure the household Wi-Fi never drops out during a big game, Chris needed an internet plan that could keep up, without draining his bank account.

Spoiler: he found one. The One. And now his internet bill is literally $0*.

When slow internet and rising bills became a dealbreaker

Chris used to be on an nbn 50 plan with one of the old providers and it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. Yikes.

“I was previously with one of the old nbn providers, who gave me constant problems, and I had dropouts all day, every day. They jacked up my bill, so I searched around for a better option and thought I'd try Exetel.”

Since switching providers, the difference was immediate.

“My internet speed was supercharged 10x (from 50 Mbps to 500 Mbps), my bill was cheaper and my dropouts became very, very rare — mostly due to planned maintenance, which Exetel does a great job of informing me about.”

The travel hack that made his internet bill even cheaper

Chris and his family also love a fam holiday. “In 2025 we spent about 10 weeks interstate or overseas, so I was also attracted to the Hibernate feature which was offered by Exetel,” says Chris. 

If you’re new here, Hibernate lets Exetel customers slow down their service temporarily (enough to keep the lights on and security cameras rolling). With Hibernate, Chris and his fam-bam were able to save and enjoy their holiday stress-free. “I used this initially to reduce my bills, sometimes by $15 a month.”

The referral side hustle he didn’t see coming

After experiencing the difference himself, Chris started recommending Exetel to people around him. Friends. Family. Even online communities.

“After I had fallen in love with Exetel's service, I started recommending it. Firstly to a few family and friends, after which I already saw a reduction in my bills. Then I started recommending it on social media platforms,” explains Chris.

He began sharing his referral code on local Facebook community pages and even on Reddit whenever people asked for nbn recommendations.

“So many people complained about their nbn and asked for recommendations for another provider,” says Chris. “I replied saying how much better an experience I'd had with Exetel and offered my refer-a-friend code if they were interested in giving it a try. It's a win-win — for me and for everyone I refer!”

When the savings started stacking up, Chris realised just how powerful referrals could be.

“When I started getting bills for $59 a month, I thought, ‘this is alright!’ And it motivated me to continue to spread the good word about Exetel to others, including friends and work colleagues. Now I've had $0* bills over the past few months, which has been amazing!”

Fast-forward to today, and Chris has 87 successful referrals. The result?

His monthly internet bill is now $0*. Not bad for simply sharing a service he already genuinely liked.

*$1 off referrer & referee monthly bills, if both remain connected. 80 referrals to achieve $0 monthly bill. T&Cs apply.  

Why Exetel worked so well for Chris

Real value (not just marketing hype)

Good pricing plus extra perks like referral rewards and features like Warp Speed and Hibernate.

Savings that actually add up

Features like Hibernate and Refer a Friend can reduce your bill significantly.

Serious speed for modern households

nbn 500, ideal for streaming, gaming, video calls and busy homes.

Chris’ story proves that fast internet doesn’t have to come with a scary monthly bill. Sometimes it just takes the right plan and a few well-timed referrals to make your internet dreams come true.

The down low on Refer a Friend and Hibernate

How the Exetel refer a friend program works

Exetel’s Refer a Friend program is built to be straightforward, transparent and honestly, a little bit fun too. If you’re on The One plan, here’s how it works:

• You receive your own unique Exetel referral code.

• When someone signs up using your code, they get $1 off their monthly bill.

• You also receive $1 off your bill for each successful referral.

• The discount continues for as long as both of you remain on The One plan.

There’s also a bit of a gamified twist. With up to 80 active referrals, you could completely offset an $80 monthly plan just like Chris C. or our mate Alan F. While the discount can’t exceed 100% of your bill, it’s entirely possible to bring your monthly cost all the way down to $0*. Or get close like our other mate, Yici.

Can I use Hibernate whenever I want?

Yes. Hibernate lets you temporarily slow down your service when you’re away, helping you save money during holidays or extended trips. Read more about Hibernate here.

Is there a limit to referrals?

The cap sits at 100% of your bill. But these rewards only apply while both you and your referrals remain connected to Exetel’s The One plan.

Want a bill like Chris?

If fast speeds, low costs and referral rewards sound good to you, it might be time to follow Chris’ lead. Upgrade your nbn, start sharing your Exetel referral code and see how much you can save. Who knows — your next internet bill might end up looking a lot like Chris’.

$0*.

*$1 off referrer & referee monthly bills, if both remain connected. 80 referrals to achieve $0 monthly bill. Terms & Conditions apply.

Exetel Refer a friend FAQs

How does Exetel’s referral program work?

Exetel’s referral program is pretty straightforward: you share your unique referral code with mates, and when they sign up, you both score a discount on your bills, so long as you both stay connected. Each successful referral chips away at your monthly cost — and the more people you refer, the bigger the savings stack up.

Can I really cut my internet bill to $0* with referrals?

Yep — in theory, you can. If you refer enough people, the credits you earn can fully offset your monthly bill. It’s not instant, and it depends on how many sign-ups you drive, but hitting a $0* bill is absolutely on the table. *$1 off referrer & referee monthly bills, if both remain connected. 80 referrals to achieve $0 monthly bill. Terms & Conditions apply.

How much can I actually save on my Exetel bill?

Savings vary depending on how many people you refer, but each successful referral gives you an ongoing discount as long as you and the people you refer stay connected. Bring in a few mates and you’ll notice a decent dent in your bill. Go hard on referrals, and you could be paying next to nothing each month, just like Chris. 

Who’s eligible to use or share an Exetel referral code?

If you’re an existing Exetel customer, you can share your referral code. New customers can use a valid code when signing up to unlock the discount. There aren’t many hoops, just make sure the code is applied at sign-up.

How do I find, share, and track my Exetel referral code and discounts?

You’ll find your referral code in the “Refer a Friend’ tab in the Exetel app. From there, you can copy and share it however you like — text it, post it, drop it in the group chat. Easy. Your dashboard also keeps tabs on the number of people who have signed up and how much you’ve saved, so you can track your progress (and see how close you are to the coveted $0* bill). *$1 off referrer & referee monthly bills, if both remain connected. 80 referrals to achieve $0 monthly bill. Terms & Conditions apply.