What Is the NBN?
The National Broadband Network (NBN) is Australia’s wholesale broadband infrastructure network, built and operated by NBN Co (a government-owned corporation). The NBN replaced the ageing copper telephone network with a mix of modern technologies designed to deliver faster, more reliable internet to every Australian home and business.
Construction began in 2010 under the original Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) plan. Following a change in government policy in 2013, the rollout shifted to a “multi-technology mix” (MTM) approach, incorporating several different connection types to speed up deployment and reduce costs.
How the NBN Works
The NBN operates as a wholesale network — NBN Co builds and maintains the infrastructure, but does not sell internet plans directly to consumers. Instead, Retail Service Providers (RSPs) like Telstra, Optus, TPG, and Aussie Broadband purchase wholesale access and sell plans to end users.
Your NBN connection type depends on which technology was deployed in your area. The seven main technologies are:
- FTTP — Fibre optic cable direct to your home (fastest, most reliable)
- FTTN — Fibre to a neighbourhood node, then existing copper to your home
- FTTC — Fibre to a small pit near your home, short copper run
- FTTB — Fibre to an apartment building’s basement, internal wiring to units
- HFC — Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (pay TV cable) network upgraded for broadband
- Fixed Wireless — Radio signals from a nearby tower to an antenna on your roof
- Satellite — Sky Muster satellite for remote and very rural areas
NBN Speed Tiers
NBN plans are sold in speed tiers that define the maximum download and upload speeds:
| Speed Tier | Download | Upload | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBN 25 (Basic Evening) | 25 Mbps | 5 Mbps | Light browsing, email |
| NBN 50 (Standard Evening) | 50 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Streaming, working from home |
| NBN 100 (Premium Evening) | 100 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Multiple devices, 4K streaming |
| NBN 250 (Superfast) | 250 Mbps | 25 Mbps | Heavy usage, large households |
| NBN 1000 (Ultrafast) | 1000 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Power users, home offices |
Note: Not all speed tiers are available on all technologies. Only FTTP and HFC can reliably deliver NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans. FTTN speeds are limited by the length and quality of the copper line between the node and your home.
The NBN in Numbers
As of 2025, the NBN connects over 12 million premises across Australia. The network covers approximately 11.8 million homes and 1.2 million businesses, making it one of the largest broadband infrastructure projects in the world.
The technology mix across the network varies significantly by location — urban areas tend to have FTTP, FTTC, FTTB, or HFC, while regional areas rely more on FTTN and Fixed Wireless, and remote communities use Satellite.
Future of the NBN
NBN Co is investing in upgrading the network through several major programs:
- FTTP upgrades: Extending fibre directly to homes that currently have FTTN, FTTC, or HFC connections. Over 4 million premises are eligible for fibre upgrades.
- Fixed Wireless upgrades: Boosting speeds and capacity for regional wireless towers.
- Enterprise Ethernet: High-performance connections for business customers.
These upgrades mean that many suburbs currently served by older technologies will eventually transition to full fibre (FTTP), bringing access to the fastest available speed tiers.