Households with high-speed NBN plans using fibre to the premises (FTTP) or hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) connections are now enjoying significantly faster internet speeds, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) latest Measuring Broadband Australia report.
In September 2025, NBN Co upgraded the wholesale speeds of select FTTP and HFC plans at no additional cost to retailers. The upgrade applies specifically to the following high-speed plans:
NBN Home Fast – upgraded from 100/20 Mbps to 500/50 Mbps
NBN Home Superfast – upgraded from 250/25 Mbps to 750/50 Mbps
NBN Home Ultrafast – upgraded from 1000/50 Mbps to 1000/100 Mbps
ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey confirmed that the speed increases have been passed on to retail customers, meaning most households on upgraded FTTP or HFC plans now access faster internet during peak hours.
“Our latest report shows that households using upgraded plans on FTTP or HFC connections are now enjoying faster download speeds,” Ms Brakey said.
The NBN Home Fast plan was the most popular high-speed plan monitored in the report, with an average download speed of 503.9 Mbps during busy evening hours of 7 to 11pm. Around 80.5 percent of services on this plan achieved speeds exceeding 500 Mbps during these peak hours.
While most FTTP and HFC users experience speeds in line with the new plan levels, a small number of underperforming connections may result from older in-home equipment such as outdated Wi-Fi routers.
“Consumers using older routers may not reach the higher download speeds available on their upgraded plans,” Ms Brakey advised.
“Retailers should assist customers to determine whether their router or network is limiting their internet performance.”
For households with Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connections, there were no speed increases. The fastest available plan for these connections remains 100 Mbps. Consumers on FTTN or FTTC connections seeking faster internet speeds are encouraged to contact their provider to explore an upgrade to FTTP.
The report also highlighted improvements in Starlink satellite internet performance, with average busy hour upload speeds rising from 30.6 Mbps to 46.2 Mbps and download speeds increasing from 189.3 Mbps to 197.2 Mbps.
Tips for Internet Users to Maximize Speeds
Check your router – ensure your Wi-Fi router supports your plan’s maximum speeds.
Contact your provider – if speeds are below expectations, your ISP can help identify bottlenecks.
Consider plan needs – households with moderate usage may get better value from lower-speed plans.
The Measuring Broadband Australia program, conducted by SamKnows, provides independent speed testing data across Australia using methods also deployed in the UK, US, Canada, and New Zealand. NBN fixed-line services may sometimes exceed their plan speeds due to overprovisioning, where a slightly higher data rate is provided to compensate for download overhead.
With NBN’s upgraded FTTP and HFC plans, Australian households now have access to faster internet than ever, enhancing streaming, gaming, video calls, and overall online experiences.
Baburajan Kizhakedath
