More than 2.4 million Australian homes now connected to NBN Co’s higher speed tier products over the nbn™ access network

Australians are signing up to faster internet packages in droves with more than half (53 per cent) of all homes connected to the nbn™ broadband access network now accessing higher speed plans, compared to only 16 per cent 12 months ago.

Since December 2017, the number of Australian homes connected to NBN Co’s higher speed tier products over the nbn™ access network based on wholesale speeds of 50 Mbps or above has jumped from 564,000 to more than 2.4 million.

This dramatic shift has been driven by NBN Co’s new wholesale discounts, designed to show the capability of the nbn™ access network by offering more affordable prices to phone and internet providers to help increase the take-up of higher speeds and reduce average bandwidth congestion, particularly during peak times.

NBN Co’s network traffic data shows consumption on the nbn™ access network with monthly average household downloads surging 30 per cent in the past year, from 163GB a month to 213GB a month.

The figures reveal more than 33 per cent of the day’s total traffic is consumed between the peak time hours of 7pm to 11pm.

Brad Whitcomb, NBN Co’s Chief Customer Officer, Residential said:

“We have worked alongside the phone and internet providers over the past year to deliver more affordable wholesale pricing and we’re delighted to see that more than 2.4 million Australian homes are now experiencing higher speed tier products on the nbn™ access network.

“There are now more than 53 per cent of nbn™ connected homes accessing higher speed tier products over the nbn™ access network based on wholesale download speeds of 50Mbps or higher, with around 70 per cent of new customers signing up to these products each month.

“With the average amount of household digital devices expected to grow from 17 to 37 by 2022 ¹, we know the need for internet plans which allow Australians to simultaneously use online applications will become increasingly important.

“Our network traffic data shows data consumption spikes when households are at their busiest. Peak downloads occur between 7pm to 11pm when Australians are arriving home to unwind after a busy day, with real time video entertainment – typically streaming video services – making up the majority of downloads during this time.

“We also see spikes between 6am and 7am as families wake up to start their days, and between 3pm and 4pm as kids arrive home from school to complete their homework.

“It’s important to remember that the number of connected devices being used in the busy period can impact your speed, which is why we are encouraging consumers to do their research on the best plan for their household in our latest public information campaign.

“As the nation’s broadband needs evolve, we will continue to work with our phone and internet providers and the industry to ensure we are helping to provide value, service and connectivity that meets the expectations of Australians.”

The nbn™ access network is almost three-quarters built with more than four million homes and businesses already connected. NBN Co remains on track to complete the rollout in 2020.

Please visit nbn.com.au/experience for more information.

Notes to editor: