Australia’s digital infrastructure landscape is undergoing a transformative upgrade in the shape of the Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) initiative. The Commonwealth Government has committed up to A$3 billion. In comparison, NBN Co will contribute over A$800 million for a total investment of around A$3.8 billion directly targeted to upgrade approximately 622,000 premises. Of these, just over 50% are located in regional parts of Australia and were previously served by the old copper technology that the NBN was built to replace. Businesses located at these upgraded premises now have access to downloadable signals via Fibre that are 25 to 150 times faster than the old copper we used to have.
Understanding NBN FTTP Technology
What FTTP Means
FTTP (Fibre to the Premises) connects fiber optic cable directly to your business premises, providing the fastest internet speeds on the NBN network. With FTTP, there are no mixed technologies; fiberFibre goes into your location—no copper, no compromise.
Fibre vs. Copper: The Critical Difference
Connection types such as Fibre to the Node (FTTN) lay fiber part of the way but depend on copper cabling for the “last mile.” On the other hand, Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) uses fiber optic cabling for the end user. This is important because using copper for the “last mile” creates a bottleneck that significantly reduces internet speeds. Copper can handle only 20 megabits per second (Mbps) upstream and 160 Mbps downstream. In contrast, a single fiber strand can carry 1,000 times more data.
Current Rollout Status
The program to upgrade the NBN to fiber to the premises (FTTP) is rapidly moving across Australia. By November 2024, NBN Co reports that 80% of its fixed-line network can access the top-tier internet speeds. The company promises to extend that figure to 90% of the network by December 2025. The company aims to deliver access to top-tier speeds to around ten million premises, about 90% of the fixed-line network.
Government Investment Acceleration
The recent combined investment of A$3.8 billion from the Australian Government and NBN Co. represents a giant leap forward in the NBN’s upgrading timeline. This cash will be used to finish the Fibre to the Node (FTTN) footprint job. That’s a legacy part of the NBN that affects around 622,000 homes and businesses. Of those 622,000, around 95% are now allowed to upgrade to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), a full-fibre solution.
Speed and Reliability Benefits for Businesses
Maximum Speed Capabilities
Connections to FTTP allow businesses to tap into the entire NBN plan range, offering speed tiers from 25/10 Mbps up to 1000/400 Mbps9. This range in the NBN plan spectrum provides much-needed flexibility for businesses of all sizes and types. It enables them to select from a buffet of sorts and to pay, of course, as they go and according to their specific taste and desires.
Reliability Advantages
FTTP’s reliability comes from eliminating copper-based parts prone to environmental influences and wear and tear. In replacing that copper with fiber, we’re not just closing the physics gap; we’re addressing the layers of security that have become a big concern with the old, hacked-together infrastructures. We’re letting businesses install more robust cybersecurity and business continuity solutions.
Real-World Performance Impact
FTTP provides much more reliable performance overall for businesses. Performance does not vary nearly as much based on distance; even when it does, it’s more predictable. On this front, we can mainly credit the architecture of FTTP. With fiber optic cable running to the premises, you’re connected to the future with all the bandwidth you could need. And to FTTP’s credit, it means what it says: “to the premises.” Unlike some other terms we’ve looked at, this one isn’t overly stretched.
The 2025 Speed Revolution
Upcoming Wholesale Speed Tier Upgrades
From September 14, 2025, NBN Co will no longer supply superfast. It will do so across its three top residential speed tiers5, upping the ante for business internet and making foundation-level to superfast NBN look like a system on training wheels.
New Speed Tiers Being Introduced
The upgrades to speed comprise:
- “NBN Home Fast” (NBN 100) will increase from 100/20 Mbps to 500/50 Mbps.
- The NBN 250 (NBN Home Superfast) will have its speed tripled, from 250/25 Mbps to 750/50 Mbps.
- The upload speeds for “nbn Home Ultrafast” (NBN 1000) will increase from 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps, doubling the current maximums.
- NBN Co will also roll out a new “nbn Home Hyperfast” tier that delivers speeds of 2,000 Mbps for downloads and 200 Mbps for uploads. This option is only available to customers whose connections use fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology.
Business Impact of Speed Changes
How will these upgrades affect not just ordinary Australians but also Australian businesses? In a word, they’ll change the way many of them work, especially those with data-intensive applications. The NBN 100 plans will see a five-fold increase over current levels—up to 500/download, 50/upload—which will most benefit the businesses currently on that tier.
Business-Specific Connectivity Solutions
Enterprise-Grade Options
Beyond standard FTTP, businesses with heavier bandwidth requirements can consider nbn Enterprise Ethernet. This service runs on separate infrastructure and connects to a different network than other NBN services, providing a direct path to data exchanges and cutting out middle stops that affect latency and speeds.
Service Level Agreements
Business-grade connections come with enhanced support services, including dedicated service level agreements (SLAs) that address outages within specific timeframes. For instance, NBN Co will roll out new high-speed options for businesses, including a 2 Gbps product with an SLA to address outages within four hours.
Business Plan Considerations
Business Internet – nbn enables organizations to connect more offices and sites to high-performance networks with flexible bandwidth options up to 1000/400Mbps and unlimited data. These plans typically include features specifically designed for business needs, such as no mass market shapers or DPI, and maximized uptime with up to 99.9% availability.
How to Request an FTTP Upgrade
Checking Eligibility
The easiest way to determine if your business location is eligible for a free FTTP upgrade is to check your address on NBN Co’s website. Only customers that connected via FTTN or FTTC are eligible for the free upgrade program.
Qualifying Plans
To trigger the free upgrade, eligible businesses need to sign up for an NBN plan with download speeds of 100Mbps or higher. Both FTTN and FTTC addresses can now select from NBN 100, NBN 250, or NBN 1000 plans to qualify for the upgrade.
The Application Process
The upgrade process typically involves:
- Contacting your chosen internet service provider to start the upgrade process
- A potential pre-installation assessment (which doesn’t require you to be present)
- Scheduling an installation appointment where a technician will install the necessary equipment
- Testing the connection to ensure proper functionality
Installation Timeframes
The installation process generally involves at least two appointments with NBN. The first is mostly for pre-scoping/planning, while the second is when they carry out the FTTP installation and typically complete it, assuming no unforeseen issues arise.
Eligibility Requirements Explained
Qualifying Connection Types
Only premises with Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connections are eligible for the free upgrade program. Those with Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) connections, typically found in apartment buildings, are not currently eligible.
Contract Considerations
There are some important conditions to be aware of when requesting a free FTTP upgrade. If you downgrade your NBN plan or change provider within the first 12 months of being upgraded, you may need to pay NBN Co a $200 fee. Moving your business within a year of upgrading may also incur a $200 fee.
Complex Installation Scenarios
In some complex cases, NBN Co may determine that extra infrastructure is required to complete the installation. If this occurs, that cost may be passed on to you if you want to proceed with the upgrade.
The Economic Impact
Projected Benefits
The economic impact of the NBN upgrade is substantial. Independent economic modeling by Accenture estimates that upgrading the remaining Fibre to the Node footprint could increase GDP by $10.4 billion, support 10,000 jobs, and create 4,000 businesses over the next decade.
Business Transformation
For managed service providers and IT channel organizations, the upgrade presents significant opportunities as the network transitions away from copper-based connections by 2030. The removal of copper-based FTTN connections will improve service reliability and reduce maintenance overhead, enabling providers to offer stronger SLAs to their clients.
Getting Ready for FTTP
Check Your Setup
Before switching, look at your current network setup to ensure it will work with the new link. Check your routers, switches, and other gear connecting with the FTTP.
Think About Your Gear
Even with FTTP giving you a link, you need the right business-grade gear for faster speeds. Consider asking IT experts to make sure your network can handle it.
Make Apps Work Better
With much faster speeds, check your cloud apps, backup tools, and other web services to ensure they are set to use the better link.
How Procision Can Help
At Procision, we help firms ride the wave of change when their technology, like the NBN FTTP, is upgraded. Our command of IT infrastructure means your operations keep humming while the installation team is doing its thing—either because it’s not doing anything disruptive to your systems or because we’ve ensured your systems can withstand whatever hiccups might occur during the installation.
We offer complete network evaluations, hardware recommendations, and installation assistance to keep your business connected. After setup, we continue to work with you to manage the network so it remains efficient and effective.
We offer comprehensive support for companies transitioning to FTTP, from verifying eligibility to optimizing the service after installation.
Maximizing Your FTTP Investment with Expert Support
The opportunity the NBN FTTP Upgrades provide shafts Australian businesses represents an unrealized potential—one unrecognized chiefly among small to medium enterprises (SMEs). The connectivity offered to businesses through the NBN FTTP upgrades is something that, to my knowledge, no telecom provider has ever ventured to offer anywhere, let alone in countries like Australia that perennially hover at the bottom of international broadband speed rankings.
Grasping the program’s what, who, and how helps us work to the advantage of this digital infrastructure revolution. At its most basic, the program is—eligibility permitting—a way to pay for new, better Internet infrastructure, a sort of e-highway system that connects your digital life to the world. On the ground, its tentacles extend almost everywhere in the U.S. where you might happen to live or work.
Reach out to Precision to find out how we can assist your organization in sailing through the FTTP upgrade and extracting every possible advantage from this transformative technology.
