Australian NBN Statistics (2025)

In 2025, Australia will have approximately 26.43 million internet users, a notable increase from around 25.41 million in 2024. This upward trend is projected to continue, with users expected to reach 30 million by 2029.

The Australian Government created the National Broadband Network (NBN) in April 2009 to improve connectivity through wired broadband connections. Once completed, 90% of Australia will have access to the internet.

Current State of NBN Coverage and Speeds

Coverage Milestones

NBN provides wired broadband connections to millions of homes and businesses across Australia, offering better plans and prices.

However, wired connectivity may not reach all consumers. Those who cannot link to the wired network can connect via satellite through Sky Muster or satellite internet.

Source: NBN

As of December 2024, 12.53 million homes and businesses have NBN access, a slight increase from 12.38 million a year ago. NBN access means the property is ready for consumers; there is no need to wait for installation.

Meanwhile, NBN consumers continue to increase, from 8.58 million in December 2023 to 8.82 million in December 2024.

One of the main reasons consumers prefer NBN is its network availability. In 2024, NBN reported that its access network is available 99.95% of the time.

Speed Tiers and Penetration

Source: Telecomlead

According to a Telecom report in March 2024, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) checked NBN’s performance during peak-demand hours (7-11 pm). The report revealed significant improvement in NBN’s Home Ultrafast 1000 Mbps service.

This improvement resulted from removing capacity-based charging under a new wholesale pricing structure.

Average hourly download speeds of 818 to 851 Mbps throughout the day were observed, a significant increase compared to the speeds in September 2023, from 686 to 851 Mbps.

Source: NBN

The speed improvement was made possible by using their full fibre and HFC technology. This was 7% higher than the number of high-speed capable subscribers in December 2023.

NBN also revealed that 74% of residential and business subscribers are on their 50 Mbps wholesale speed plan or higher.

Recent Upgrades and Performance Benchmarks

With its full fibre upgrade, NBN is set to improve internet connectivity in many areas of Australia. The network promises faster and more reliable connections, especially for homes and businesses with multiple devices and connections. 

However, this upgrade is available only in selected areas serviced by the network through Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC). Customers with these connections can upgrade to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) but are subject to eligibility requirements.

Source: NBN

NBN reported that 4.28 million homes and businesses may upgrade or have already upgraded from FTTN and FTTC to full fibre compared to only 3.5 million in December 2023.

Source: ACCC

The ACCC published a Broadband Performance Data report in December 2024 highlighting the average plan download speeds during busy hours by technology.

Each NBN fixed-line access technology had average download speeds during busy hours and exceeded the plan speeds. FTTN had the most underperforming services.

Usage Trends and Data Consumption

Residential Usage Patterns

The ACCC published a quarterly report in November 2024 regarding NBN’s wholesale market, focusing on residential broadband access services.

ACCC mentioned in the report that NBN has experienced its largest increase in residential subscribers since its “try before you buy” promotion three years ago.

NBN’s home ultrafast services grew by 23,795 users during the first quarter of 2024, reaching 137,944 total users.

Home ultrafast is NBN’s residential ‘up to gigabit’ service offering. This increase may have been propelled by increased online streaming, remote work, and online education, with consumers looking for a better and faster alternative to their current broadband services.

Business and Enterprise Data

Australian SMEs, corporate offices, and remote workers rely on NBN services for reliable connectivity.

 Source: NBN

NBN’s business data numbers reported that 76% of SMEs require technology to support their high connectivity requirements.

Meanwhile, 54% of high-connected SMEs rely heavily on NBN’s network for their business, while 57% said NBN is critical for their digital transformation.

Regional vs Urban Discrepancies

There is a stark difference between the availability of NBN services in regional and urban Australian areas. Those in rural areas mostly consume less data because of low connectivity and fewer devices. These consumers may prioritise essential online services such as telehealth, distance education, and connecting with their loved ones.

A report called the “Digital Divide” found that some Australians in rural areas had data speeds that were 90% slower than those from urban areas. The report highlighted services in eight areas, including rural New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia.

The study’s head, Prof Mark Gregory of RMIT University, urged the government to improve rural and First Nations communities’ connectivity, saying they should not be left behind.

In 2024, another report noted that many regional and remote areas still lack high-speed internet. The report further suggested using low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication to solve this long-standing issue.

The Australian government created a LEO Satellite Working Group to examine the benefits of this technology. NBN Co also started exploring LEO connectivity with various providers.

Projections for NBN in 2025 & Beyond

Forecasted Coverage Goals

Increase in Wholesale Download and Upload Speeds

NBN has confirmed that it will increase the wholesale download and upload speeds on its high-speed residential wholesale plans and make them accessible to internet retailers starting September 2025.

The accelerated plans will be available to retailers to sell to consumers connected to the NBN network via FTTP or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) technology. NBN will improve its Home Fast plan from 100/20 Mbps to deliver five times faster wholesale download speeds of 500/50 Mbps. 

NBN will triple the wholesale download speed and double the upload speed of the Home Superfast plan from 250/25 Mbps to 750/50 Mbps. Its Home Ultrafast plan will have double wholesale upload speed from 500 to ~1000/50 Mbps to ~1000/100 Mbps.

New Upgraded Paths

Through a $3 million investment with the Australian government, NBN will provide new upgrade paths for remaining homes and businesses on the fibre-to-the-node network.

This is expected to benefit more than 620,000 homes and businesses, offering more than 95% of homes the option to switch to full-fibre through FTTP. The upgrades will start immediately and will be completed progressively. The enhancements are expected to be ready by the end of 2030.

Potential Technological Shifts

5G Technology

5G is available in many Australian cities and suburbs. It is expected that 5G will be available to more than 95% of the population by the middle of 2025.

5G provides faster speeds, improved capacity, and smoother connectivity. It can boost mobile broadband services, increase competition, and lower prices. Fixed 5G-powered access can help enhance broadband services, especially in areas where fibre connections are difficult to deploy.

Satellite Technology

A new Australian Government report highlights the potential of LEO satellites to enhance connectivity, especially in industries such as agriculture and mining. LEO can boost productivity and improve efficiency, allowing homes and businesses to access essential services.

Complementary Technologies

Wi-Fi 6 and 6E are also influencing technological changes in Australia. Wi-Fi 6 is readily available, with internet providers offering NBN modems with Wi-Fi 6 technology. This allows faster speeds and reliable connections, especially in homes or businesses with many connected devices.

Wi-Fi 6E is also accessible in Australia, providing higher bandwidth and reduced interference compared to Wi-Fi 6 bands. 

Australia’s IoT market was valued at USD 12.9 billion in 2022. This is projected to reach USD 37.06 billion by 2030, growing at a 14.1% CAGR. The widespread adoption of IoT technologies drives significant market expansion and is expected to increase across various industries.

Emerging Consumer Demands

 Source: We Are Social

We Are Social highlights the increasing need for Australians to have faster internet speeds and improved connectivity. Their 2024 report shows Australia has 25.21 million internet users, about 95% of its population.

Source: We Are Social

The site also published Australians’ daily time spent on media, showing how important the internet is for Australians aged 16 to 64. This demographic spends around 6 hours and 14 minutes online daily and about an hour and 51 minutes dedicated to social media.

Online activities such as content streaming, IoT usage, and next-generation gaming require higher bandwidth and stability, so the NBN becomes critical in ensuring Australians have reliable, high-speed internet.

Challenges and Opportunities

Infrastructure Limitations

Despite its massive reach, NBN in Australia has faced the following limitations.

Fibre to the Node (FTTN)

FTTN is one of the earliest technologies using existing copper lines for the last segment of the connection. Because of this, FTTN continues to be a source of frustration for businesses and residential subscribers.

These copper lines vary in quality, resulting in varying speeds and issues with service reliability. Also, the customer’s distance from the node is critical, with speeds degrading for those farther away.

Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) and Upgrading FTTN

HFC is an improvement from the basic FTTN as consumers get higher speeds. However, network congestion, especially during peak hours, leads to slow speeds. NBN Co is working hard to upgrade FTTN to FTTP, but this task is expensive and time-consuming.

Older Network Segments

NBN rollout is limited in some areas as connectivity relies on older facilities. These issues cause slow speeds, dropouts, and connectivity issues. NBN is also facing challenges in maintaining and upgrading these older segments.

Cost Concerns

Not all consumers can afford NBN plans, especially those in rural areas. While standard installation is free, it can incur significant costs beyond this. An example would be upgrading a network from FTTN to FTTP.

Australian NBN Policy and Funding

The following are recent announcements and government initiatives aimed at improving NBN services.

Recent $3 Billion Investment

The Australian government announced a $3 billion equity injection into NBN Co in early 2025. This will upgrade the remaining FTTN network and will be completed by 2030.

Previous Investments in FTTN Upgrades

The government has also committed $2.4 billion to upgrade 1.5 million premises from FTTN to FTTP. This will improve the NBN and address many integration issues.

Focus on Regional and Remote Areas

The government has invested $480 million to upgrade the NBN Fixed Wireless and Sky Muster satellite networks, which are critical to providing broadband access to regional and remote areas.

Business Considerations

Improved NBN speeds can help businesses enhance their online presence and digital marketing.

Enhanced Website Performance

Improved NBN speeds mean faster website loading times and enhanced user experience. 

Source: ACCC

NBN proved subscribers could provide high speeds even during busy hours. In September 2024, download speeds were 863.6 Mbps and upload speeds were 46.6 Mbps, while download speeds were 856.8 Mbps and uploads were 46.6 Mbps during busy hours.

Richer Content and Multimedia

NBN subscribers enjoy watching high-quality videos and engaging in interactive content with NBN’s faster speeds.

Improved Digital Marketing Campaigns

Faster speeds have helped businesses deliver online ads, maximising their marketing strategies. They can also easily access and analyse data to help them improve their campaigns, even in real time.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How has the NBN changed since its initial rollout?

From an FTTP service to a multi-technology mix MTM, NBN has massively improved its services and expanded its offerings and network capacity.

2. Do 5G networks pose a threat to NBN adoption?

Yes, 5G networks threaten the adoption of NBN. This is especially true in areas with limited fixed-line connections.

3. What are the top speed tiers Australians subscribe to?

Australians subscribe to the following speed tiers:

• NBN 50 (Standard): This tier has enough speed for streaming HD videos, online gaming, and supporting multiple devices simultaneously. It is the most affordable speed tier.
• NBN 100 (Fast): This is ideal for larger households. It offers enough speeds for 4K streaming, downloading large files, or connecting multiple devices.  
• NBN 25 (Basic II): This basic plan is ideal for smaller households with enough browsing, email, and light streaming speed.  

4. Are rural areas being left behind in the NBN upgrades?

Rural areas have slower NBN upgrades than urban regions; however, fixed wireless expansions and satellite services are set to improve these services.

5. How do these stats affect businesses aiming to grow online?

Reliable high-speed internet is important for businesses that wish to expand online, as it enables seamless e-commerce, remote work, and digital marketing.