$3 billion NBN upgrade: Is your home on the list to get faster internet?
About 622,000 homes and businesses across Australia still on a Fibre to the Node (FTTN) NBN connection will be eligible for the network upgrade.
Key takeaways
- The Albanese government is committing $3 billion to NBN upgrades, and NBN Co is investing an extra $800 million.
- This will give eligible homes and businesses access to faster and more reliable internet speeds.
- Upgrades will begin immediately and are expected to finish by the end of 2030.
- You will need to sign up to an NBN 100 plan or above to trigger the upgrade.
Will I be eligible for the NBN upgrade?
The NBN funding means anyone with a FTTN connection will be able to benefit from a full fibre upgrade.
NBN Co says 95% of homes will probably get upgraded to Fibre to the Premises - basically the best NBN connection for super-fast upload and download speeds.
The other 5% are a bit trickier to upgrade and will need more planning. They might get access to next-gen tech down the track.
Here's a quick look at some of the top areas set to benefit from the $3 billion investment. It's not the full list, but you can always head to NBN Co's website and pop in your address to check your eligibility.
| State | Metro | Regional | Top metro locations | Top regional locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 67,000 | 97,000 |
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| VIC | 20,000 | 9,000 |
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| QLD | 52,000 | 58,000 |
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| SA | 11,000 | 78,000 |
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| WA | 39,000 | 72,000 |
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| TAS | 2,000 | 19,000 |
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| ACT | 96,000 | - |
| - |
| NT | - | 2,000 | - |
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| AUSTRALIA | 287,000 | 335,000 | - | - |
What speeds can I expect with this NBN upgrade?
If you're on an FTTN connection right now, you can usually get plans up to NBN 100.
The downside is that FTTN relies on a mix of fibre and old copper wiring, which can make speeds less reliable.
The good news? Upgrading to full fibre fixes that issue and opens up access to superfast and ultrafast speeds with NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans.
Here's a quick breakdown of the speed tiers, who they're best for, and how much they cost on average each month.
| NBN speed tier | Great for | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| NBN 12 (Basic I) | Light web surfers | $62 a month |
| NBN 25 (Basic II) | Budget savvy household of 1-2 people | $70 a month |
| NBN 50 (Standard) | Sweet spot for the average household of 2-3 people with moderate internet use | $93 a month |
| NBN 100 (Fast) | Internet users with a need for speed or bigger families | $97 a month |
| NBN 250 (Superfast) | So you can go zoom zoom, without a care in the world | $117 a month |
| NBN 1000 (Ultrafast) | People who treat their homes and internet use like a small business | $141 a month |
*We looked at fixed-line unlimited data plans in Finder's database to calculate the monthly average costs (valid as of January 2025).
"Families and businesses deserve high-speed internet at an affordable price," prime minister Anthony Albanese said during a press conference.
"Labor created the National Broadband Network and only Labor will finish the NBN and importantly, keep the NBN in public hands."
How can I trigger the upgrade once I'm eligible?
The small catch is that you'll need to sign up for an NBN 100 plan or higher to unlock the free upgrade.
That said, as the table shows, the price gap between NBN 50 and NBN 100 is much smaller than it used to be.
While NBN 50 is still the most popular option, NBN 100 has been gaining traction in recent months.
And remember, these are just average prices - NBN providers often offer great introductory deals, so you could end up with a faster plan for less than what's shown.
For example, Dodo is offering an NBN 100 plan for $68.90 a month for the first 12 months. The price reverts to $88.90 a month afterwards but remains cheaper than the average.
Do I need faster internet?
If your internet needs are pretty basic, probably not. But things are definitely a lot different now compared to a decade ago.
According to NBN Co, the average Aussie home used to have seven internet-connected devices and used about 40 gigabytes of data a month.
Today, that's more than 10 times higher, with households using over 1,100 gigabytes across around 40 devices each month.
Ellie Sweeney, chief executive officer at NBN Co, explains:
With the growing number of connected devices in Australian homes and ever-increasing data usage, this upgrade investment will enable us to meet the needs of Australian homes and businesses now and into the future and continue to lift the digital participation and capability of Australia.