Australian households have not had to think about NBN speed tiers much over the past few years. That is changing. Since late 2025, NBN Co has been accelerating its higher-speed wholesale tiers at no extra cost to internet retailers, so many households on existing plans are quietly getting faster speeds without switching or paying more.
The new internet plans
The most visible shift is at the top end. NBN Home Superfast, previously capped at 250 Mbps download and 25 Mbps upload, has been accelerated to 750 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload.
A new Home Hyperfast tier has also launched, offering speeds up to 2000 Mbps for eligible fibre connections, aimed at multi-person households and heavier internet use rather than typical browsing and streaming.
For households that signed up to a plan a year or two ago, it’s worth checking whether the upgrade has already applied automatically. For anyone reviewing their setup now, understanding what has actually changed makes comparing NBN internet plans much less confusing.
Speed tier changes:
| Speed tier | Previous speeds | Current speeds |
| Home Fast | 100/20 Mbps | up to 500/43 Mbps |
| Home Superfast | 250/25 Mbps | 750/50 Mbps |
| Home Ultrafast | 500–1000/50 Mbps | 500–1000/50–100 Mbps |
| Home Hyperfast (new) | Not previously available | up to 2000/200 Mbps |
Why the acceleration happened
NBN Co has pointed to a genuine shift in how Australians use their internet connections, from more devices per household to heavier reliance on cloud storage, video calls, and streaming in 4K or higher. Rather than introducing an entirely new pricing structure, the company chose to increase what existing higher tiers deliver, since much of the underlying fibre infrastructure already supported faster speeds than were being offered.
Millions of homes and businesses became eligible for the accelerated speeds as soon as the changes rolled out, without needing to change plans or contact their provider. The download speed improvements are also paired with meaningful upload gains, which matter more than they used to now that video calls, cloud backups, and content uploads are a regular part of daily use rather than an occasional task.
Wholesale prices are also moving
Speed increases are only half the story. From 1 July 2026, NBN Co adjusted its wholesale pricing across most fixed-line tiers.
| Tier | Wholesale price change (from 1 July 2026) |
| NBN 25 | Up by around $2/month |
| NBN 50 | Up by around $2/month |
| Lower/mid tiers overall | Up by around $2 to $5/month |
| NBN 100, NBN 500, Home Superfast, Home Ultrafast | No change |
Since retailers set their own retail prices on top of the wholesale rate, the actual impact on a household’s bill can vary depending on the provider and plan. Retailers are required to give at least 30 days’ notice before any pricing change takes effect, so households on an affected tier should see it flagged in advance rather than discover it on a bill.
The copper rollout is finally catching up
None of these speed increases matter much if a home still connects through ageing copper infrastructure. Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) connections have historically required a household to commit to a top-speed tier before qualifying for a free upgrade to full fibre.
From July 2026, NBN Co is widening that eligibility, allowing a much larger number of FTTC homes to request a free upgrade without that condition attached. NBN Co will address Fibre to the Node (FTTN) premises through a separate, staged programme that will continue over the coming years.
For anyone on a slower connection type, this upgrade path is generally what unlocks meaningfully faster speeds, rather than simply buying a higher plan number, since a faster plan on an old copper line will rarely deliver its advertised maximum anyway.
What this means when comparing plans
With so much changing behind the scenes, a plan that looked like the best option a year ago might not be anymore. A few things are worth checking before choosing or switching an NBN plan today:
Whether an existing Home Superfast or Home Ultrafast plan has already been accelerated automatically
Whether the home’s connection type (FTTP, HFC, FTTC, or FTTN) can actually support the plan speed being considered
The “typical evening speed” listed for a plan, since this reflects real-world performance more accurately than the advertised maximum
Whether a property is eligible for a free fibre upgrade if it is still on FTTC or FTTN
The bottom line
The recent changes mean many households are already getting more for the same price than they were a year ago, often without having to lift a finger. The bigger opportunity, though, sits with homes still on copper connections, where an infrastructure upgrade matters more than a bigger plan number. Checking connection type and eligibility before comparing plans is likely to save more than switching providers alone.
Speak with our team if you need help comparing your options or checking your connection type. Contact Connect With Us to discuss your connection needs.
