NBN Co has unleashed its most ambitious network evolution to date, confirming it will launch multi-gigabit speeds, headlined by a groundbreaking 2,000/200 Mbps plan.
This announcement marks a pivotal moment for Australias digital infrastructure, transitioning the conversation from basic connectivity to world-class performance. After years of upgrades and investment, the NBN is finally poised to deliver the speeds that a modern, data-hungry economy demands, driven by the seismic shifts in work and home life seen over the last few years.
The proposed changes are now with retailers for final consultation, with a broad launch expected for eligible customers from late May 2025. This isnt just a minor tweak; its a fundamental reimagining of what the NBN can offer.
For years, Australia has played catch-up with the rest of the developed world on internet speeds. This announcement is the culmination of several key factors, primarily NBN Cos extensive program to expand its full-fibre footprint. With more homes than ever connected via Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), the underlying technology can now support these symmetrical and multi-gigabit speeds.
Competitive pressure has also been a significant driver. The rapid expansion of 5G home internet services from providers like Telstra, Optus, and TPG has offered a compelling alternative to the NBN. By unlocking the true potential of its fibre network, NBN Co is making a powerful statement about the superior capacity and reliability of its fixed-line infrastructure.
Finally, this is about future-proofing. The average Australian households data consumption is growing exponentially each year. This move is a necessary step to stay ahead of the curve, ensuring the network can handle the next generation of data-intensive applications.
This is more than just one new plan; its a strategic overhaul designed to lift the performance for a majority of high-speed users. The benefits will be felt across several tiers, particularly for those on FTTP and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) connections.
Free Upgrade: NBN Home Superfast
For customers on the popular 250/25 Mbps plan, NBN is proposing a free upgrade to 1,000/50 Mbps. This is a quadrupling of download speed and a doubling of upload speed, with no change to the wholesale price. Its a massive value-add that will instantly elevate the experience for a huge number of households.
Free Upgrade: NBN Home Ultrafast
Those already on the premium 1,000/50 Mbps tier havent been forgotten. NBN plans to double their upload capacity to 100 Mbps. This is a game-changer for content creators, remote workers, and anyone who regularly moves large files to the cloud.
The New Flagship: NBN Home Hyperfast
This is the headline act: a brand new 2,000/200 Mbps plan. For the first time, a mainstream multi-gigabit service will be available in Australia, placing our top-tier speeds among the best in the world. This plan is aimed squarely at prosumers, tech enthusiasts, and households with extreme connectivity demands.
To take full advantage of a 2Gbps connection, you cant just plug in your old router. This is a critical point many will overlook. Without the right equipment, you will be paying for speed you simply cannot access.
Your internet router will need a Wide Area Network (WAN) port that supports speeds of at least 2.5Gbps, or ideally 10Gbps, to receive the full speed from the NBN connection box. Many standard routers, even those supplied for 1Gbps plans, only have 1Gbps ports. You will also need a Local Area Network (LAN) port on the router that is also 2.5Gbps or faster, connected to a device with a corresponding high-speed network card to see that speed on a single computer.
For most people, the benefit will be felt across the entire home network, with multiple devices each able to pull 1Gbps simultaneously. To get the full 2Gbps on a single PC, you will likely need to invest in a new Wi-Fi 7 router and a 2.5G or 10G network interface card.
NBN Co operates on a wholesale model, meaning it sells capacity to retailers like Launtel, Aussie Broadband, Telstra, and Optus, who then create consumer plans. The proposed wholesale charge for the new 2Gbps plan is A$80 per month.
Retailers will add their own margin to cover support, network overheads, and profit. You can expect consumer pricing for the 2Gbps plan to fall in the A150toA180 per month range, though competitive retailers may offer introductory pricing.
The best news is reserved for those getting the free speed boosts. Because the wholesale price isnt changing, your retailer should be able to pass on the 4x speed increase (on the Superfast tier) at no extra cost to you.
These incredible speeds are initially for customers on FTTP and HFC. If youre on a less capable technology like Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Curb (FTTC), you will need to upgrade to full fibre to be eligible.
NBN Cos fibre upgrade program is well underway. You can check your address on the NBN website to see if you are eligible for an upgrade. In most cases, the upgrade to FTTP is free if you commit to ordering a high-speed plan (typically 100Mbps or faster) for a set period once the upgrade is complete.
The process involves an NBN technician attending your premises to run a fibre optic line from the street to your home and install a new NBN connection box inside. Its a straightforward process that unlocks access to every speed tier the NBN offers.
It can be hard to conceptualise what this much speed means in practice. Its about capacity and concurrency doing more, faster, all at the same time.
A 2Gbps connection allows a family to stream 8K content on a living room TV, have two kids watching 4K YouTube in their bedrooms, and a parent on a high-definition video conference, all without a single frame drop. Its the bandwidth needed to run dozens of smart security cameras, lights, and sensors without ever impacting your entertainment or work.
For a professional working from home, it means backing up an entire computer to the cloud in minutes. A small business can have its entire team collaborating on massive cloud-hosted files as if they were stored locally. The 200Mbps upload speed is particularly transformative for anyone sending large files, like architects, video editors, or engineers.
This is where the new tier truly shines. You could download the 150GB of Microsoft Flight Simulator in under 11 minutes. For those who run a home server, the 200Mbps upload speed lets you host a high-performance Plex server for multiple external users, run your own private cloud storage, or host a game server for your friends with professional-grade performance.
The digital landscape is evolving, and we are committed to staying ahead of the curve. Our new multigigabit speed tiers are a testament to our dedication to providing Australians with the best possible internet experience.
We are not just building a network for today; we are building a network for the future, and we are confident that these new, faster speeds will unlock a new wave of innovation and productivity across the country.
