More than three million Australians now eligible for full-fibre NBN upgrades

An additional 400,000 homes and businesses across Australia will be able to access full-fibre broadband upgrades as part of the Albanese Government’s plan to deliver a National Broadband Network, with the latest list of eligible suburbs and towns just released.



These newly eligible premises will join the 3 million Australian homes and businesses previously served by a slower, less reliable copper connection that can today already access full-fibre upgrades.



The copper broadband network retained by the former Coalition Government is slower, less reliable, more expensive to maintain and more likely to experience prolonged faults. In contrast, world-class fibre broadband means faster upload and download speeds, and a more reliable connection for residents and small businesses.

 

Access to full fibre is driving productivity savings for households and businesses, with NBN users saving over 100 hours and $2,580 per year by using higher speed broadband.



NBN research shows that the network has delivered $122 billion worth of economic uplift to 2022, and has helped create approximately 169,000 additional jobs – the equivalent of a 1.3 per cent increase in Australia’s labour force.



By the end of December 2023, 75% of premises in the NBN fixed line network will be able to access fibre all the way to their homes and benefit from download speeds of close to 1 Gbps through NBN’s fastest residential plan.



An upgrade will be available on-demand where an eligible household or business takes out a higher speed plan, with no upfront installation cost.



These upgrades have been made possible by the Albanese Government’s election commitment to invest $2.4 billion in the October 2022 Budget to expand full-fibre access to an additional 1.5 million premises by the end of 2025.



More information about eligible premises can be found at: www.nbnco.com.au/residential/upgrades/more-fibre



For more information on the Australian Government’s investment, visit: minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/albanese-government-delivers-major-nbn-boost-2022-23-federal-budget.



Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:

 

“Affordable, reliable and high-speed broadband is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It is absolutely essential to work, learn, transact, and engage with government services and telehealth.

 

“For many years, millions of Australians have been held back by slow and unreliable broadband on the ageing copper network.

 

“We’re getting on with the job of delivering a better NBN. Three million more Australian homes and businesses can now order full fibre due to the upgrade program – and now another 400,000 premises will be eligible to order full fibre by the end of 2025.

 

“The economic benefits that flow from quality broadband are immense. Our investments to upgrade the NBN is a boon for local manufacturing, with tens of thousands of kilometres of fibre produced right here in Australia by local workers.

 

“The Albanese Government wants to enable the NBN’s full potential, and these upgrades are helping us do just that”.