NBN has removed the requirement for FTTC customers to hold an NBN 100 plan or faster before they can request an FTTP upgrade, opening the door for all 860,000 FTTC premises Australia-wide.
Prior to 1st July, FTTC customers had to be on NBN 100 or above to qualify for a free FTTP upgrade, but under the new rules any plan qualifies.
Multi-dwelling properties were already exempt from the requirement under a separate program, and this situation has not changed.
Why NBN is pushing FTTP upgrades
FTTC has proven unreliable and slow compared to other NBN technologies, so NBN is prioritising its removal.
FTTC involves a fibre run to a pit at the kerbside, then ageing phone line copper takes it through the final stretch to the premises.
The proposed upgrade replaces the telephone copper run with fibre cable all the way into the building. The benefits are increased connection stability, faster speeds, and better resilience to weather and corrosion over time.
FTTC and FTTP are not the same as HFC connections that use a thicker coaxial copper cable for the final run. HFC customers can also upgrade to FTTP, but under different eligibility criteria.
HFC supports reasonably fast speeds, so there’s less urgency to upgrade this technology.
What does this mean?
Customers who wanted FTTP for increased reliability were previously locked out from the upgrade path. Now, anyone on an entry-level plan has the same access as customers on high-speed plans.
It’s worth noting that the upgrade doesn’t happen automatically. You’ll still need to contact your service provider to make a request to participate.
For more information, check out our previous article on targeted fibre upgrades. You can check your eligibility on the NBN website.
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