As part of a push to ensure as many Australians as possible are connected to fast, reliable internet, for the last few years NBN Co has been offering homes that currently connect to the fixed-line network via older copper-based technologies – such as fibre to the node (FTTN) and fibre to the curb (FTTC) – the opportunity to upgrade to superior fibre to the premises (FTTP) technology for free.
Up until now, the FTTP upgrade has been entirely optional for eligible premises, with the only caveat being that would-be upgraders need to sign up for one of the fastest NBN plans through a supporting internet service provider (ISP). However, from July 1, 2026 that latter requirement is being scrapped for certain premises – and the upgrade itself will no longer be optional..
If you’ve been holding out on enacting the upgrade, then your hand may soon be forced, as NBN Co has announced a new Targeted Upgrade program that it says will require 130,000 specific homes and businesses to upgrade from copper-based services to full-fibre technology. The program is currently scheduled to start midway through 2027.
NBN Co says the premises identified to receive the upgrade will start being sent official notifications from July 2027. If your home or business is one of those identified for the program, then there’s no real downside to taking it up – optical fibre NBN connections support massively faster speeds and are generally more reliable than older legacy technologies.
What’s more, in the official press release, NBN Co has made it clear that it plans to eventually disconnect all copper services at the premises the program targets, saying “the first suspensions of legacy copper services where a fibre upgrade order has not been placed are not expected to occur until January 2028.”
In short, if you don’t take up the free upgrade to full fibre, then you’ll eventually be left without a fixed-line internet connection. Reminders will be sent at six months before disconnection, three months before and 30 days before. If you ignore all of them, then your service will ultimately be suspended.
NBN Co adds that safeguards will be in place, however, including “the option to extend or defer before a service is suspended, and case‑managed support, particularly for customers who need additional assistance.”
Don’t delay, upgrade today
If you know your home currently connects via FTTN or FTTC technology, then now’s a good time to begin preparing for the upgrade. Even if your home isn’t one of the initial 130,000 selected, it likely will be eventually.
Whether you’re on the list or not, if you connect via a legacy copper tech then there’s a good chance your home is already eligible for an upgrade. If what’s holding you back is uncertainty about what provider to pick, I’ve selected a few of my favourite NBN plans below that make the most of the superior full-fibre technology.
In fact, now’s actually a great time to consider switching your NBN provider, as the yearly price hike is also around the corner, and you can almost always find a better deal if you shop around.
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