Last updated: 15 August 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NBN (National Broadband Network) is Australia’s national wholesale internet network: government-owned infrastructure that connects nearly every home and business in the country, which you access by buying a plan from a retail provider like Telstra, Aussie Broadband or Superloop. NBN Co builds and runs the network; the providers sell the connections. That two-layer split explains most of the things people find confusing about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think of it as roads and delivery companies. NBN Co owns the road to your house; your provider is the delivery company you hire to use it. That’s why you can switch providers in 15 minutes without anyone visiting: the physical connection stays put, only the company selling you access changes. It’s also why an outage can be either NBN Co’s problem (the road) or your provider’s (the trucks); our outage checker<\/a> helps you work out which.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your address got one of several technologies during the rollout: FTTP (fibre all the way, the best), FTTC, FTTN (fibre to a street cabinet, then copper), FTTB, HFC (the old pay TV cable), fixed wireless, or Sky Muster satellite for remote areas. Which one you have sets your maximum speed and can’t be changed by switching providers, though the free FTTP upgrade program is steadily converting FTTN and FTTC addresses. Our connection types guide<\/a> explains each one and how to check yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe connection types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Speed tiers, in one table<\/h2>\n\n\n\n