Finally NBN is offering upgrades on their network from FTTC-to-FTTP. But what does this actually mean?

Last month NBN Co revealed its intention to roll out an FTTC-to-FTTP upgrade program. In layman terms, customers may be eligible for their internet to be upgraded from Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) to the faster, more stable Fibre to the premises (FTTP). This means less copper being used and more fibre - which is a win for consumers.

When the NBN was first announced, there were a few different technologies that were going to be used. Each had to do with the amount of fibre put in place, and the amount of the existing copper that was going to be used.

The slowest technology is Fibre to the Node (FTTN), where fibre would run from to a node (sometimes up to 400m away) and then it would utilise the existing copper phone and internet network to connect that node to your house. FTTN uses the most copper wiring of all technologies and offered the slowest speeds because of this.

Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) was the next level up where the fibre cable would run to a pit outside your house. At that point it would connect to the existing copper lines, meaning that you may only have 10 meters of copper used.

The last technology, fibre to the premises, is just as it details. The fibre cable run directly into your house to a box and you plug your modem directly in. There is no copper being used, only fibre optic. This technology is the fastest connection that is on offer in Australia, and is the connection that NBN is upgrading current FTTC and FTTN technologies to.

This faster and more reliable connection is rolling out to more than one million new premises which is great news for all consumers. The further we can get away from copper, the better our infrastructure will be in the future.

If you want to find out more and see if your house is available for this upgrade, check out more information on the NBN website here.

While only selected towns and suburbs may be receiving this now, if it goes well; we can expect to see this expand further