National Broadband Network Will Change The Way Australians Access Internet

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is a national network of communications infrastructure currently being built by NBN Co on behalf of the Australian Government. It’s set to change the way Australians access the internet, with lightning-fast fibre-optic, fixed wireless and satellite technology being made available over the next 10 years.

There are plans to connect more than 93 per cent of Australian homes to the NBN’s fibre-optic network, allowing access to download speeds of up to 100 megabits per second – that’s four times quicker than the fastest ADSL2+ broadband currently available. With NBN Co planning to increase the available speeds on fibre-optic all the way up to 1000 megabits per second in the near future, the network is a serious game-changer.

The NBN is designed to replace Australia’s existing, ageing copper network, which is no longer sufficient to support the country’s growing demand for faster and more reliable Internet connections. Approximately 93% of the population is planned to be serviced by NBN’s fibre-optic network, allowing access to download speeds of up to 100 megabits per second, which is four times quicker than the fastest ADSL2+ broadband currently available.

And that’s not all. NBN Co is planning to increase the available speeds on fibre-optic all the way up to 1000 megabits per second in the near future, which is a serious game-changer.

Unfortunately, if you’re living outside of the fibre footprint, you’ll have to make do with either fixed wireless or satellite technologies. While these technologies don’t currently offer the throughput of fibre, technological advances should help increase the speeds in these remote areas over time. NBN Co is planning to launch two Ka band satellites by 2015, each offering 80 gigabits per second of bandwidth, compared to four to six gigabits per second capacity available from current satellites servicing Australia. While still not as fast as the speeds fibre customers will enjoy, it’s still a huge step up from where things are today!

As a customer, you won’t access your internet services through NBN Co, you need to choose a Retail Service Provider (RSP) to get you connected. In the same way you have had to choose an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for your broadband connection, when the NBN is rolled out in your area you’ll need to choose a Retail Service Provider (RSP) to provide you with all NBN-related products (including internet and phone) as well as any support which you require. As a wholesale provider, NBN Co can’t offer you products directly.

View iiNet’s nbn rollout map to see if NBN’s fibre network is available in your area.