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Dealing with a change in technology isn't always the most fun thing to go through. But knowing when and how to make the switch to the NBN can save you from losing your Internet down the track.
The good news is, the NBN has faster speeds on offer if your ADSL has ever felt too slow.
According to NBN Co, the rollout was completed in December 2020.
From the moment that you can switch to the NBN, you typically have 18 months to move your services to the new network before the old one is switched off.
Your provider may also choose to disconnect your ADSL plan earlier than this, according to reports from various users.
If you don't arrange to switch to the NBN within that period, your existing Internet and phone services will likely be disconnected without compensation or replacement.
See our guide to switching to the NBN for the first time to avoid this or our picks for best plans if you don't know where to start.
Keep in mind that you will still need a technician to come and physically connect your property to the NBN. Since technicians can have lengthy queues, we highly recommend switching well before your disconnection date.
No. Only suburbs where fixed-line NBN is being rolled out will have their ADSL cut off.
The cut-off date doesn't apply to those in fixed wireless or Sky Muster NBN areas. ADSL and copper telephone line services will be left intact in those suburbs, with no current plans to cut these particular copper lines.
Here are the copper services you won't be able to keep with the NBN rollout:
But you do get to keep:
Services that are migrated to the NBN will stop working in the event of a power outage, unlike on the copper network.
No, it isn't. The NBN might be seen as the "normal" choice for home Internet, but the best connection for you might be one of the alternatives instead.
You have 2 other choices if you're looking to replace your ADSL. Both use mobile networks to get you wirelessly connected to the Internet.
Home wireless broadband is the main NBN alternative. It's more reliable than mobile broadband, but less reliable than fixed-line Internet.
Home wireless can be an attractive option for those who are renting or regularly move residences.
Unlike NBN plans which are tied to your address, you can easily move around your home wireless – all that's needed is to plug in the modem it comes with.
Keep in mind that some providers place a speed cap on their 4G home wireless, limiting your maximum download speeds to 12Mbps or 25Mbps.
Others sell 5G home wireless, but you'll need to get your address verified to make sure you're in a covered area – and you still might face a 100Mbps speed cap, depending on your plan.
Mobile broadband is a more flexible and portable version of home wireless.
Modems can be carried around almost anywhere, but you'll end up getting a lot less data for your money in exchange.
If you're looking to use the Internet while you're out and about using a tablet, mobile broadband would be better suited for you.
It's also a convenient option when you only need a little data here and there.
Keep in mind that there may also be private fibre networks available to you that aren't owned by the NBN, depending on where you live. You can find out more about these and other NBN alternatives here.
Ignoring the cut-off date is a risky proposition if you value your Internet connection. Failing to switch over to the NBN or an alternative will lead to your ADSL being disconnected permanently, leaving you with no online access.
This applies to your home phone as well. If your phone gets disconnected because you didn't switch in time, there's a good chance your home phone number will be lost for good.
That said, it's hard to ignore the cut-off date because your provider will send you constant reminders to switch over to the NBN.
Your current provider will probably notify you repeatedly when the NBN is available in your area and offer to switch you over.
Assuming you want to stay with your current provider, simply purchase one of its NBN plans and the rest will be handled – including getting you set up with a new modem, if necessary.
Otherwise, you can easily compare your options with our comparison table below to find something better.
Pop in your address below and we'll show you NBN plans available in your suburb.
But if you make the switch before then, you should easily be able to migrate your current home phone number over to an NBN plan.
Most NBN providers these days offer the option to add on a home phone line. You can check out some of the NBN and home phone bundles available here.
If you still want Internet and don't want the NBN, you'll need to consider alternative connections, like home wireless or mobile broadband.
Certain houses can be far harder to connect than the others around them for any number of reasons.
Your best bet is to contact NBN Co to find out what's happening – there's not much else you can do if providers are saying they can't hook you up.
Sam Baran is a writer for Finder, covering topics across the tech, telco and utilities sectors. They enjoy decrypting technical jargon and helping people compare complex products easily. When they aren't writing, you'll find Sam's head buried in a book or working on their latest short story. Sam has a Bachelor of Advanced Science from the University of Sydney.
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What is the cut off date for copper in the Box Hill Victoria area
Hi Merily,
Thanks for your question! nbnco and your service provider should notify about the copper cut off in your area well ahead of time before they do. If you haven’t arranged for your ADSL/landline service to move to the NBN, it might be disconnected. You typically have 18 months to change networks once you’ve been notified.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
If your address is NBN-enabled, compare plans to find the best one for you.
In this document it states I may receive a phone call to advise when the cut-off is about to take place. This is not a good idea as already I, and many others, have received scam calls telling me to switch NOW or I will be cut off from everything. I think at least a letter should be sent to alleviate this serious problem.
Hi Audrey,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder.
Indeed, it’s annoying when you receive scam or prank calls especially when they’re just taking advantage of the recent NBN rollout. As much as we’d also want you to be emailed or sent a letter by post regarding the copper cut-off, we can’t, as we don’t represent NBN. If in case, you may want to contact NBN directly for this request instead.
Cheers,
May
Thanks for the response, May. I am indeed referring to a broadband service on the mobile network, but I note that while it has a number associated with it, it can only send and receive SMS, i.e. no phone capability exists on the contract. The data allowance is good,and is even better with a contract – I think it rises to 120GB.
With two of four bars of signal strength, I get better than 30Mb/s download and at least 6Mb/s upload speeds. When 5G arrives, this will apparently raise download speed to a minimum of 100Gb/s, but that’s some way off. As I see it, it’s faster than most people’s NBN service and it’s cheaper, and was available last year, while NBN is in the process of being installed in my area.
Hi NBN Alternative,
Thanks for getting back and apologies for the delayed reply.
Yes, true, while you’re waiting for the NBN to be rolled in your location, thanks to the availability of mobile broadband as an alternative! There may be pros and cons (e.g. phone service is limited to sending and receiving SMS only), nevertheless, your data needs will still be served, and I guess it’s more important if you’re consistently using the internet. :)
Thanks again for dropping by!
Cheers,
May
We just built a new house and I have all the leads at the front dangling from a pole to be connected to a pit. I’m told that we would have to pay hundreds of dollars to get this pit put in before we can have NBN. Telstra in the meantime has put us on wifi. I have a very sick husband whom needs a landline but they insist that it is up to us to put in the pit. The wifi service is shocking and we are limited to only 80g’s per month. Not happy with Telstra as I feel we have been stood over on this.
Hi Barb,
Thank you for reaching out to Finder.
I understand your frustration regarding this matter. You might want to use our NBN Rollout Tracker to know what other providers are available in your area. Once you have selected one, you may want to inquire directly to the provider on how they could make the connection to your address and for how much. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
You don’t include the alternative of a mobile-data-only service, which is faster and cheaper than NBN and available now. Optus has a 100GB service for $70 per month, and I am a satisfied user.
Hi NBN Alternative,
Thanks for your comment.
If you are pertaining to a mobile broadband, you can find out the plans available in the market from our comparison table. Indeed Optus offers 100GB service which was also included in the list, but as of this writing, they offer it for $80. Lucky you’ve got it at a lower price of $70. In case you’d like to compare the price of other providers, you can reset the filters found at the upper right corner of the panel just right on top of our list.
Hope this has helped.
Cheers,
May