The National Broadband Network is Australia's wholesale fixed-line and fixed-wireless internet infrastructure, built and operated by NBN Co. Retail internet providers (ISPs) buy wholesale access and sell you a plan on top of it; NBN Co does not sell plans directly to households.
If your address is in an NBN fixed-line or fixed-wireless area, older ADSL/cable services are generally being phased out over time, so most households eventually need to move to NBN or an alternative like a mobile broadband or satellite service.
In almost all cases you can port your existing landline number to an NBN-based phone service, whether that is a traditional-style phone service bundled with your plan or a VoIP service. Tell your new provider you want to keep your number when you sign up.
A standard installation is generally included free with most retail plans. Non-standard installations, such as needing new internal cabling or a technician to run a line to a difficult location, can incur an additional charge, which your ISP should quote before the appointment.
Yes, for most fixed-line installations that require access inside the premises (such as an FTTP or fixed wireless install), someone over 18 needs to be present. Some FTTN/FTTC connections can be actioned remotely without a visit.
Some ISPs include a modem/router in the plan price or as a one-off purchase, others let you bring your own compatible device. Check compatibility with your specific NBN connection type (FTTP, HFC, FTTN, fixed wireless) before buying your own.
Not necessarily. Your NBN plan speed is what is delivered to your modem/router. Wifi speed around your home depends on your router's capability, wall placement, interference, and distance from devices. A wired ethernet connection will always be faster and more consistent than wifi.
Both contract and no-lock-in (month-to-month) plans are available. No-lock-in plans offer more flexibility to switch but sometimes carry a slightly higher monthly price or require you to pay for hardware upfront rather than in instalments.
If you are on a fixed-term contract, an early termination fee may apply, usually scaled down the closer you are to the end of the contract. Always check the critical information summary for the exact fee structure before signing up.
You cannot transfer the physical connection, since NBN infrastructure is tied to the address, but most ISPs will set up a new connection at your new address and can often carry over your plan, pricing, and contract terms with minimal fuss. Book this a few weeks ahead of your move where possible.
Business plans typically offer priority fault restoration (faster technician response for outages), business-specific customer support, and sometimes static IP addresses, usually at a higher monthly price than an equivalent residential plan.
Some ISPs offer a static IP as an add-on, particularly on business plans, useful for remote access, hosting, or specific security camera and VPN setups. Ask your provider directly, as it is not offered universally on residential plans.
Speed tier matters less for gaming than latency (ping) and network congestion during peak hours. A wired connection and an ISP that performs well on the ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia peak-hour reports will generally give a more consistent experience than chasing a higher speed tier alone.
Your ISP's website or app usually has an outage checker, and NBN Co also publishes network-wide outage information. If your service is down, check this before assuming a fault with your own equipment.
Generally no, unless you have battery backup for both your NBN equipment and your router, since fixed-line NBN connections and most home routers require mains power. FTTP connections previously offered an optional battery backup unit for the NBN network box itself, primarily to keep a landline phone service running during an outage; availability of this varies and is worth confirming with your ISP if a working phone during blackouts matters to you.
Almost all current NBN retail plans in Australia are unlimited data as standard, meaning there is no separate data cap or excess usage charge. The plan price is instead differentiated by speed tier, not data allowance.
Bundling can bring a modest discount on one or both services, but it is worth comparing the bundled total price against buying the best NBN plan and best mobile plan separately from different providers, since the bundle discount does not always outweigh a better standalone deal elsewhere.
Sky Muster is NBN Co's satellite service for regional and remote parts of Australia outside the fixed-line and fixed-wireless footprint. It generally has lower speeds and stricter data allowances than fixed services, and is typically the only NBN option available at very remote addresses.
Fixed wireless connects your home to the NBN via a rooftop antenna and a local tower, used in regional areas between the fixed-line footprint and satellite-only areas. Most retail fixed wireless plans are unlimited data, but speeds can vary more with network congestion than fixed-line connections.
Compare entry-level (NBN 25 or NBN 50) plans across providers rather than assuming the big telcos are cheapest, since smaller ISPs on the same wholesale network can offer meaningfully lower prices for an equivalent speed tier and similar peak-hour performance.
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