More than 500,000 homes and businesses in Western Australia are now able to upgrade to a full fibre NBN broadband connection thanks to a $2.4 billion investment from the Federal Government.
Over a four-year period, NBN Co will receive $2.4 billion to provide 1.5 million more households and businesses with full fibre to the premises access, including more that 660,000 customers in regional communities.
The high-speed fibre connections can deliver speeds up to 18 times faster than the average broadband connection over copper.
The local government areas of Stirling, Wanneroo, Gosnells, Rockingham, Bayswater and Canning are leading the way with the highest number of fibre connections.
By the end of 2025, more than 10 million premises on the fixed line network will have access to full fibre connections able to deliver speeds up to 1Gbps.
Average data usage in Australia has increased ten times over the last decade, with the average home now downloading more that 450GB per month across 22 internet-connected or smart devices.
The fibre upgrades are available on demand when an eligible household or small business takes out an eligible higher speed tier plan.
Federal Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, said that fast and reliable full fibre broadband unlocks greater social inclusion and economic productivity.
“It’s essential infrastructure in 2024 and this is why the Albanese Government has invested $2.4 billion to support NBN Co’s fibre upgrade program,” Ms Rowland said.
“I welcome NBN Co’s continued dedication to delivering more fibre to homes and businesses to stay ahead of the growing demand for data in this digital age.
“Access to this technology is a gamechanger for families who have struggled with drop-outs and slow speeds over copper. I strongly encourage households to check the NBN Co website to see if you are eligible for a full fibre upgrade.”
Featured image: Adam Calaitzis/shutterstock.com
