The index analyses all of the Internet access plans offered by five major Australian ISPs including Telstra, Optus, Primus, iiNet and Unwired and calculates the average monthly cost of subscribing to each of them.

These five providers collectively service 75 percent of broadband users.

Last year the IIA published the first ever national targets for broadband for 2010.

The aim of this initiative was to develop a set of aspirational targets for both fixed and mobile broadband in order to provoke national discussion on how to achieve adequate broadband provision in Australia.

The targets were based on comparisons of broadband availability in other countries, the current status of broadband provision in Australia, the projected level of future demand for bandwidth and the range of technologies likely to be deployed in the next four years.