NBN Co spent the weekend boosting Australia’s internet speed for free, but not everyone can get it. Here’s who’s eligible for the free nbn speed boost and what you will (or won’t) be getting.

How the NBN speed boost works

If your home internet suddenly feels snappier, you’re not imagining things.

For the last few months, NBN Co - the company that builds and maintains Australia’s national broadband network - has been planning a major free upgrade to internet speeds for millions of homes and businesses. Over the weekend, it pulled the trigger.

The upgrade doesn’t cost anything extra, but whether you get it depends on what kind of NBN connection you have and which plan you’re on.

Here’s how it works: NBN Co doesn’t sell internet plans directly to the public. Instead, it supplies wholesale internet capacity to retail providers like Telstra, Optus and others, who then sell plans to customers. Over the weekend, NBN Co lifted the wholesale speeds available on some of its most popular speed tiers, meaning retailers can now pass faster speeds on to customers without raising prices (although some still might in future, given that selling nbn doesn't make any provider a whole lot of cash these days).

The upgrades target homes and businesses connected via Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC), the two fastest NBN technologies.

Here’s what’s changed at the wholesale level:

For example, Telstra’s Premium plan customers on FTTP or HFC can now access 500Mbps down and 50Mbps up, five times faster than what they had before. Telstra says these customers can expect typical evening speeds of 400Mbps during the 7pm–11pm peak window. Its Ultimate and Ultrafast customers are also seeing boosts, particularly in upload performance .

NBN speed boost: who can get it?

Whether you can access the upgrade depends largely on what kind of NBN infrastructure is installed at your property.

The NBN was built using a “multi-technology mix”, meaning not every household has the same type of physical connection.

The latest speed boosts are only available to users on:

• FTTP (Fibre to the Premises), where fibre runs all the way to your home
• HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial), using upgraded cable TV networks
• Some customers on FTTC (Fibre to the Curb) and FTTN (Fibre to the Node) may become eligible if they request a fibre upgrade

To check if you’re eligible, enter your address on your provider’s website or the NBN Co site. If you’re already on one of the affected plans and use a participating provider, your upgrade should happen automatically.

NBN speed boost: who misses out?

One major group misses out entirely: users connected via Fibre to the Building (FTTB). (Frustratingly, that includes me!)

FTTB connections are common in older apartment blocks, where fibre leads to a shared telecommunications room and then uses copper wiring to connect individual units. This setup can be a bottleneck, limiting the maximum speeds achievable. Tens of thousands of apartments still rely on FTTB technology, meaning potentially hundreds of thousands of homes may not be eligible for the new faster tiers unless their building infrastructure is upgraded.

FTTC and FTTN users may also miss out unless they specifically request a technology upgrade (which may involve additional cost or installation work) .

NBN speed boost: how to get it

Getting access to the faster speeds is mostly straightforward, if your infrastructure and provider support it.

Here’s what to do:

• Check your address: Use your provider’s website or nbn.com.au to see if you’re on FTTP or HFC, or if you’re eligible for a fibre upgrade.
• Review your plan: Look at what speed tier you’re currently paying for. Many users are still on 50 Mbps plans, but a small upgrade (like jumping to the 100 Mbps tier) could now mean speeds up to 500 Mbps.
• Talk to your provider: Not all providers automatically pass on the speed boost. Make sure you’re not paying for a slower tier than you’re eligible for. If needed, switch plans or ask about upgrading your connection.
• Check your gear: Your modem/router setup could be the next bottleneck. Make sure your equipment supports higher speeds and is properly configured for optimal performance.