Want something to look forward to? If you have FTTP or HFC, your internet speeds could get a little faster from Sunday, September 14.
It’s always nice getting something for nothing, especially when there’s no cost for it, and that could be on the cards for Aussies with an NBN plan covering at least 100Mbps downloads.
Hinted at last year, NBN Co is about to upgrade the upload and download speeds for a lot of customers, allowing folks who use Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC, also known as the old cable lines) to get faster internet speeds largely just because.
The boost is courtesy of the NBN Co, which is upgrading the network for people on at least a 100Mbps download speed connection, providing as much as five times the speed when the changes roll out.
For instance, if you’re currently on a 100Mbps plan, you should see speed changes to around the 500Mbps mark, boosting the speed significantly. Folks on a 250Mbps plan will see speed changes between 640 and 750Mbps down, while folks on the “ultrafast” connections with 1Gbps of download speed won’t see any major changes, except to the upload speed, which should double, dependent on the broadband provider.
In fact, all of the upgraded NBN plans should see faster upload speeds, though not in line with the high-speed changes for downloads. We’re talking a change from 20Mbps to 50Mbps, which is something and better than nothing, clearly.
The good news is that every telco and internet service provider should see these changes very shortly, set to switch on from September 14 or 15, dependent on who you pay for. Telstra says September 15 for its customers, while TPG notes September 14 for its plans. Ultimately, it means in just a few days, Australians on 100Mbps or higher can expect faster speeds across the board.
All they need to do is make sure their WiFi routers can handle the speed changes, which should cover many if not most of the routers made in the past couple of years, though if you have anything older — ideally, if you can’t recall the last time you upgraded your WiFi router — it might be time to consider something new.