10 million homes and businesses can now connect to the nbn™ access network

NBN Co today announced more than 10 million homes and businesses are now able to connect to the nbn™ access network. This major milestone comes with less than twelve months of the build remaining.

NBN Co is also providing Australians with top tips to help households and businesses get the most out of their nbn™ internet connection* following new research released today.

The research, commissioned by NBN Co, reveals that although 86 per cent of Australians understand at least one factor that can impact their broadband experience (such as Wi-Fi quality and location in the home), just 42 per cent say they are very confident that their home set-up is optimised to deliver the best speed and performance.

Further, 68 per cent of Australians said they managed their own internet set-up, while 26 per cent enlist the help of their family and friends. Given the option of technical assistance to optimise their internet connections, 90 per cent of Australians said that they would be likely to use this.

NBN Co is helping Australians understand the top things they can do in their home to help get the most out of their experience:

• Amplify your connection – Thick walls are great at keeping noise out but do the same to your Wi-Fi signal. Consider purchasing a Wi-Fi repeater to amplify your signal and help get faster speeds throughout your house.
• Your internet signal is weak? - Check for objects that interfere with your Wi-Fi signal such as microwave ovens, televisions, hot water systems, ovens and even your fish tank. Place your Wi-Fi router/modem in a central location – free from obstructions.
• Check your plan- There are a range of speed plans nbn makes available to internet providers on the network, so chat to your retailer about your internet habits, the number of devices in the home and how many people will be online, particularly during the peak usage times between 7pm-9pm*.

It is important Australians always contact their retailer in the first instance for anything related to the in-home experience.

nbn Chief Customer Officer - Residential, Brad Whitcomb said:

“With 10 million homes and business now able to connect to the nbn™ access network, now is the time to ensure your household internet set-up is optimised to help deliver faster internet speeds.

“Research shows one in four Australians are interested in making their homes ‘smarter’ so getting your set-up right will become increasingly important as we look to power the homes of tomorrow.

“There are lots of factors that can impact your household broadband experience, such as Wi-Fi quality, modem placement and the number of devices connected.”

Telsyte Managing Director, Foad Fadaghi, said:

“Australian households are getting smarter every day with more devices like TVs, speakers, security and energy solutions all connected to the internet. There are plenty of things people can do to optimise the experience of their connected home, including finding the best location for their Wi-Fi routers and ensuring device software is always kept up-to-date.”

For more information on how you can help to get the most out of your in-home experience please visit nbnco.com.au/inhome.

Notes to editors

• As at May 2019 62 per cent of homes and businesses were on a 50Mbps wholesale speed plan or higher – compared with 44 per cent in May 2018.
• There are currently more than 160 million connected devices in Australian households and almost 400 million expected by 2023, according to Telsyte’s Australian IoT@Home Market Study 2019. 25% of people say they are interested in making their homes ‘smarter’ but 35% indicate they would like help to set-up their connected services.
• The research commissioned by NBN Co was completed by YouGov Galaxy and conducted amongst 1,060 Australians with an ADSL or NBN internet connection to their home.
• nbn provides wholesale services to phone and internet providers. nbn™ wholesale speed tiers available to providers vary depending on the access technology in an end user’s area. An end user’s experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn™ broadband access network, depends on the nbn™ access network technology and configuration over which services are delivered to their premises, whether they are using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like their equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan, signal reception, or how their provider designs its network). Speeds may also be impacted by the number of concurrent users on the nbn™ Fixed Wireless network, including during busy periods. Sky Muster™ satellite end users may also experience latency.