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NBN 1000: Gigabit Internet in Australia

Ready to experience the next generation of Internet speed? Gigabit Internet is now available in Australia with speeds of up to 1,000Mbps.

Cameron Thach
Cameron Thach

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As the next generation of Internet speed, NBN 1000 (also known as gigabit Internet) is shorthand for NBN speeds of up to 1,000Mbps or 1GBps. This opens a world of new online possibilities like HD streaming on your favourite entertainment platforms, ultrafast movie downloads and high-level cloud storage of files and data.

Compare NBN 1000 plans below

Gigabit Internet plans are currently available to those on FTTP connections, and a certain number of customers with cable Internet. When you click "Go to site", make sure you check your address on the provider's website to see if your house is eligible for NBN 1000 speeds.

What is gigabit Internet?

Gigabit Internet or NBN 1000 is the fastest speed of Internet available in Australia. Gigabit means 1,000 million bits or 1,000 megabits, and is a reflection of the maximum download speed customers can expect with NBN 1000. That's 4 times the maximum speed of the Superfast NBN 250 option and 10 times the maximum speed of the NBN 100. The NBN has also labelled NBN 1000 as the new "Ultrafast" speed tier.

Imagine downloading an HD movie within seconds, or an entire audiobook in under a second. That's some "Ultrafast" speed.

Compared to traditional DSL and cable connections that run on copper, gigabit Internet uses fibre-optic lines, delivering much higher download and upload speeds and an overall smoother connection. Made of glass, these connection lines transmit data using light instead of the electrical currents.

  • This means that gigabit Internet is limited to customers who have Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) connections at their address and a smaller percentage of locations with cable connections that are capable of Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) or cable-fibre mixed technology.

As the superior choice of speed, NBN 1000 opens up a wealth of new possibilities for customers, but what can it do for you?

What can NBN 1000 speeds do?

From an apartment of programmers to a family home with 5 teenagers, the capabilities of a 1,000Mbps connection speed offers a lot of benefits in entertainment, Internet sharing and remote working.

Lightning fast download speeds makes the browsing experience seamless, with an approximate 5-20 millisecond response time making the time between clicking a page, image or video almost non-existent. With NBN 1000, lag or slowed speeds that you experience with multiple devices are issues of the past.

With the increased reliability of the fibre-optic technology, gigabit Internet protects your connections from outside interruptions like storms, fires and electrical interferences, letting you stay working or playing no matter the event.

A few specific advantages of gigabit Internet include:

cloud network icon

Faster cloud-based networking

video conferencing icon

Ease of video-conferencing

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Seamless, high-quality streaming

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Say goodbye to gaming "lag"

How can I get gigabit Internet in Australia?

While the possibilities of gigabit Internet are definitely attractive, there are a few conditions you'll need to meet to qualify and get the best performance out of it. Currently, NBN 1000 is limited to customers on FTTP and a small number of HFC connections. There are plans to upgrade the majority of NBN connection types by 2023 so that more people are able to access these Ultrafast speeds.

If you don't have an FTTP or HFC connection, unfortunately you won't be able to access NBN 1000 speeds (or even NBN 250) right now. Your next best option would be to grab an NBN 100 plan, which is still a great choice for larger households.

Do I need any special equipment for NBN 1000?

Besides your actual NBN connection type, you'll most likely need a modem designed to handle these Ultrafast speeds. Usually your provider will offer you a compatible modem when you sign up. Older modems aren't usually great with gigabit speeds, especially over Wi-Fi. Regular modems often struggle with data-transferring, so you'll need one designed to work better with NBN 1000 speeds or else you're not getting the best experience.

If you're happy to use a wired connection, ethernet cables should perform better since you'll have a more direct connection to the Internet through the cable, rather than over Wi-Fi.

What speeds can I expect with gigabit Internet?

Gigabit Internet is still a relatively new service, only being introduced in May 2020. As such, the customer base isn't quite big enough yet to get an accurate reading on what actual speeds have been like for most customers.

Like other broadband plans the advertised 1,000Mbps is more a reflection of the maximum potential speed that the service can achieve. In reality, the speeds that you experience will likely differ with different providers, the technology of your address and the time that you use the Internet.

Major providers like Aussie Broadband and Superloop have reported typical evening speeds of between 215-222Mbps and claim the ability to deliver 80-90% of gigabit speed depending on which equipment is available at households. Over time, these typical speeds should get faster with more customers signing up for the service for more reliable results.

NBN 1000 alternatives

If you aren't eligible for an NBN 1000 plan yet, there are several fixed-line NBN and wireless alternatives to consider for speed.

If you don't have an FTTP connection, an NBN 100 plan still provides download speeds at 100Mbps and 40Mbps for uploads. At this speed, things like HD streaming and browsing are still no problem.

If you're looking for speeds just as fast but need more flexibility in the home, a wireless broadband plan may suit you better. New 5G technology can give you what you need with potential speeds of up to 20Gbps. However, with the network still being rolled out, realistic speeds are at 200Mbps at the moment. That being said, 200Mbps is still twice the speed of NBN 100 so it could be worth a look at.

5G home wireless broadband plans do exist, but you'll need to make sure your address is within a 5G coverage area to ensure you're making the most of those speeds.

Compare 600+ NBN plans at all speeds here

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