Australia NBN upgrade rush: can you afford higher speeds now?
If you haven't been able to get speeds faster than NBN 100 and/or struggle with internet reliability, you may be eligible for NBN Co's free fibre upgrade.
Over a million homes and businesses have upgraded from older copper lines to full fibre by taking up a faster NBN plan.
But more than 10 million premises are eligible to order a plan, which gets you faster internet for no extra cost.
Last year, NBN increased speeds on all plans of 100Mbps and above. It also introduced a new NBN 2000 tier. These upgrades are only available for FTTP and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) connections.
What does this mean for you? If you're considering an NBN 100 plan and have FTTP or HFC, you'll actually qualify for NBN 500 (with speeds up to 5 times faster) for the same price.
Read our guide to learn more about the NBN speed upgrades.
How do I get faster NBN for free?
As these upgrades are only available for FTTP and HFC connections, first you need to check if you have access.
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) is the golden child of NBN connections and can reach the fastest speeds available.
You can check if your address qualifies through NBN Co's website.
Why do I need faster NBN speeds?
NBN 50 used to be the most popular speed tier, and it's still a good option for a household of 2–3 people.
But if everyone's streaming, gaming or working from home at the same time, or you have more people or lots of smart devices connected, you might notice buffering or slower downloads and uploads.
As of 31 December 2025, 41% of NBN customers are on 100Mbps or higher plans (up from 28%), and around 31% are on 500Mbps or higher.
What if I don't need a faster speed?
Here's the thing: you'll often find faster speed tiers are more competitively priced than basic and standard NBN plans.
They also tend to have larger 6 and 12-month discounts.
Here's a look at some of the most popular NBN 500 plans in our database. If you can't get NBN 500, just hit the sign-up button and you'll probably see NBN 100 for your address, at the same price.
Tip: The Optus NBN 500 plan is one of the best deals around, especially since you get a $350 Finder Reward on top of the Optus discount.
Compare other products
We currently don't have that product, but here are others to consider:
How we picked theseHow the Finder Score helps you find a better broadband plans
We designed the Finder Score to simplify your search for the best NBN and Home Wireless plans. By analysing hundreds of options from over 40 providers, we evaluate pricing, speeds, data allowances and plan features. Each factor is weighted and combined to generate a score out of 10 — helping you quickly spot the most competitive plans on the market. Read the full breakdown.
Will NBN roll out any more upgrades?
According to NBN, a further 622,000 premises on Fibre to the Node premises will be eligible to upgrade to FTTP by 2030.
"We remain committed and on track to make the last of the eligible homes and businesses served by legacy Fibre to the Node ready for an upgraded service by the end of 2030," Ellie Sweeney, chief executive officer at NBN Co, said.
"With NBN continuing to carry more than 80 per cent of the nation's internet traffic, we are clear on our role as a critical infrastructure provider. We continue to execute on reducing complexity by simplifying technology, products and the way we work."
Sources
Ask a question