More than 2,000 Canberra homes and businesses on copper fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) connections can now order a Canberra full fibre upgrade to the NBN. Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh announced on Thursday, 12 November that a further 2,000 ACT premises are expected to become eligible by the end of 2026.

Who can order now

The first premises released are in Holt, Griffith and Narrabundah, according to NBN Co’s Greg Thornton, who spoke at the announcement doorstop in Holt. The release says construction has begun for more than 38,000 ACT premises served by FTTN.

This is the first wave of a program to move around 97,000 ACT homes and businesses from FTTN copper to full fibre by 2030. The government expects around 94 per cent of ACT premises to be capable of gigabit speeds by December 2030, which it says is roughly double the current share.

Thornton said NBN Co is releasing small areas at a time and will keep releasing suburbs until the program ends, so 2030 is the finish date rather than the start of availability.

How the upgrade works

Eligible households will receive a letter from NBN Co, Thornton said. From there you choose a phone and internet provider and place an order; NBN Co then carries out the final connection inside the home. You can also check an address on NBN Co’s ACT upgrade page, which lists the suburbs in the program.

NBN Co’s general full fibre upgrade page sets out what the installation involves:

  • a person aged 18 or over must be present to consent to where the equipment goes;
  • renters need the landlord’s permission, because some drilling and sometimes digging is required;
  • installation of NBN-supplied equipment is free, but your own router and its placement still affect speeds;
  • depending on complexity and building type, additional costs may apply to providers, who may pass them on.

The plan speed condition

Under NBN Co’s current national rules, many FTTN customers must order a plan based on the 100/40 Mbps wholesale tier or faster to qualify for a full fibre upgrade. NBN Co said on 30 September that it will remove that requirement from 31 March 2027, letting providers offer upgrades on any wholesale speed plan.

If you are happy on a slower plan, ask your provider which conditions apply to your address now and whether waiting until after March changes the cost. Our guide to NBN speed tiers can help you decide what speed your household actually needs.

Why the government says it matters

The release says ACT households now download an average of 503 GB of data a month, up 28 per cent over three years, and that Australian homes average 25 connected devices, expected to reach 44 by 2030. It describes full fibre as up to 18 times faster than the average copper connection; that is the government’s comparison, and your actual speed will still depend on the plan and equipment you choose.