Millions of homes and businesses across Australia will benefit from significantly faster internet speeds, without paying more, as NBN Co launches a major upgrade to its broadband service.
From September, eligible customers with fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) or hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) connections will gain access to internet plans offering up to five times their current speeds.
As part of its accelerated digital infrastructure rollout, NBN Co aims to improve user experience by eliminating delays such as video buffering and slow downloads. The upgrade will be implemented automatically for qualifying users on selected plans, with no price increase. The initiative marks a key milestone in Australia’s long-term broadband development strategy.
This development could significantly enhance productivity for both residential and business users by enabling more reliable access to data-heavy applications and remote services. Customers currently on slower copper-based technologies, such as Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or ADSL, may require an upgrade to fibre to benefit.
Who Qualifies for the Speed Upgrade and How to Check Eligibility
According to a spokesperson for NBN Co, approximately 9.8 million premises across the country are eligible for the upgrade when it rolls out in September. The enhanced service will apply specifically to households and businesses connected via FTTP or HFC infrastructure—network types capable of handling higher bandwidths.
To determine eligibility, customers are advised to confirm the nature of their connection through the official NBN website or by contacting their internet service provider. Those on legacy copper lines such as FTTN, Fibre to the Curb (FTTC), or ADSL will not automatically benefit and may need to request a physical upgrade to fibre.
Beyond infrastructure, plan selection is a critical factor. Only users subscribed to plans offering speeds of 100 Mbps or higher will see an increase. Any plan below that threshold remains unaffected. For eligible customers, no action is required—provided they meet both the connection and plan criteria, the speed enhancements will be applied automatically and without additional charges.
Impact on Australian Digital Infrastructure and Consumer Experience
The speed upgrade aligns with broader goals to modernise Australia’s national broadband capability and support the increasing demand for faster internet in both domestic and professional settings. According to NBN Co, the move reflects ongoing investment in the country’s digital backbone and is expected to deliver noticeable improvements in user experience.
Faster speeds can particularly benefit services such as high-definition video conferencing, cloud storage access, and real-time online collaboration. The decision to introduce these changes at no extra cost has been described by NBN Co as a “significant step forward” in closing the performance gap between Australia and other digitally advanced economies.
Customers currently relying on copper-based connections may face the inconvenience of additional installation procedures if they wish to access the new speed tiers. However, for millions already on qualifying setups, the transition is expected to be seamless and immediate once the rollout begins.
