Buckle up, of us – we’re roughly three months out from one of many largest shake-ups to the NBN in years.
Not solely are we anticipating the arrival of multi-gigabit NBN 2000 plans, however the present crop of quickest NBN plans are additionally set for pace will increase of their very own. Maybe essentially the most thrilling of those pertains to the greatest NBN 100 plans, that are set to obtain a 5x increase to a most of 500Mbps obtain speeds – supplied you’re on the correct kind of bodily NBN connection.
Whereas we don’t have official affirmation but of what they’ll be referred to as, we’ve chosen to dub these as “NBN 500 plans” and, on paper at the very least, they may properly provide the perfect worth in the whole NBN lineup.
Sound thrilling? We couldn’t agree extra. However what precisely are NBN 500 plans, are you able to join one, and the way a lot will they value? We’ve dug deep into all the data presently out there to carry you the solutions.
When will NBN 500 plans be out there?
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NBN Co has recognized September 14, 2025, because the all-important date for its proposed pace will increase. It’s the day when the pace increase for NBN 100 plans might be enabled from NBN Co’s facet, and NBN 500 plans might be additionally out there for retail service suppliers (RSPs) to buy at a wholesale stage.
Presently, NBN 100 plans are formally known as ‘Residence Quick’ plans and, so far as we’re conscious, this gained’t change.
As we famous with NBN 2000 plans, which go dwell on the identical date, we will’t confidently say that these on NBN 100 will see a right away pace increase on this present day, or that you just’ll be capable of swap to an NBN 500 plan presently, as a result of RSPs will seemingly must make backend changes earlier than rolling them out to prospects.
NBN Co’s official wording states: “Clients which have already bought [an NBN 100, NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan], or improve at any time sooner or later, will robotically speed up to the brand new, sooner speeds when the accelerated plans are made out there by collaborating retailers.”
We’d argue RSPs ought to be capable of ship the elevated speeds to prospects faster than they roll out the brand new multi-gigabit plans, given the truth that it’s merely an improve to an present product that shouldn’t require any adjustments to NBN {hardware} for finish customers. As is usually the case, we’ll be watching this area and updating this text with new data as quickly because it turns into out there.
How briskly will NBN 500 plans be?
As is the case with all pace tier naming conventions, NBN 500 plans will provide a theoretical most obtain pace of 500Mbps – 5 occasions the present most of the NBN 100 plans they’ll change. Add speeds can even enhance from the present most of 20Mbps to 50Mbps.
As with all fixed-line NBN speeds over 100Mbps, NBN 500 plans will solely be out there to prospects who connect with the community through a fibre to the premises (FTTP) or hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) connection. When you presently join through fibre to the node (FTTN) or fibre to the curb (FTTC), then you definitely gained’t have the know-how to assist the sooner speeds.
When you’re undecided what connection kind you could have at residence, you need to use NBN Co’s handle checker. When you discover you do join through both of the inferior applied sciences (FTTN/C), then you could be eligible for NBN Co’s free fibre improve program, which gives a full fibre FTTP set up at your handle.
If your property isn’t presently in an eligible improve location, otherwise you select to not improve, then following the introduction of the brand new tiers, you’ll seemingly nonetheless see NBN 100 as your quickest potential choice and never NBN 500. When you can reap the benefits of the improve as quickly as potential, you’ll be in the perfect place come September when the elevated speeds take impact.
How a lot will NBN 500 plans value?
Except for the foremost pace enhance, the perfect a part of the proposed pace improve is that it ought to, in concept, not value you additional every month.
We are saying ‘in concept’ as a result of, whereas NBN Co has mentioned the additional pace advantages might be made out there at no further wholesale value, RSPs will nonetheless be free to cost them as they see match.
Previous to the rollout, nonetheless, NBN 100 plans are earmarked for a wholesale worth enhance from July, and this may see many suppliers enhance their retail value by just a few {dollars} every month. These worth will increase have been specified by NBN Co’s Particular Entry Endeavor (SAU) printed method again in 2023, and so don’t come as a complete shock.
We’d after all hope that costs don’t enhance any additional in September, however we’ll have to attend and see how suppliers select to deal with the rollout.
Ought to I get an NBN 500 plan?
In some methods, it is a difficult query to reply. When you’re already signed as much as an NBN 100 plan and you join through FTTP or HFC, then in concept you’ll robotically be moved over to an NBN 500 plan at no additional value.
Nevertheless, there’s a powerful case to be made for everybody else – even those that are signed as much as one of many greatest NBN 1000 plans – to change to a NBN 500 plan as soon as they’ve launched. It is because we imagine the mix of quick speeds (500Mbps ought to service nearly all of Australian properties greater than adequately) and the nice worth already supplied by NBN 100 plans (which typically value lower than AU$10 p/m greater than slower NBN 50 plans), makes for a potent mixture.
We’d even go so far as saying we reckon they may change into the preferred NBN plan of all of them – a place presently held by NBN 50 plans, which make up round two-thirds of fixed-line NBN subscriptions on the time of writing.
When you’re presently signed as much as one of many greatest NBN 250 plans, then additionally, you will obtain a pace enhance to 750Mbps. When you suppose this is perhaps a little bit of overkill, then dropping right down to an NBN 500 plan will seemingly prevent some cash – relying on the supplier you select, after all.
What NBN plans can I get now?
Whether or not you are on a slower NBN 50 plan or on a really high-speed plan, however need to reap the benefits of the upcoming 500Mbps speeds, we have picked out a few improbable NBN 100 plan choices to greatest place you for when the adjustments happen.
