Are faster speeds worth it?

From September 2025, NBN Co is rolling out significant speed upgrades across its highest-tier Internet plans, with some speed tiers increasing fivefold.

While this offers the potential for vastly improved online experiences, both consumers and retailers face new challenges in navigating the landscape. So, are faster speeds worth it? The short answer is: it depends on your needs, your setup, and your location.

What’s changing with NBN speeds?

The biggest change comes to what’s currently known as the Home Fast plan. At present, this plan offers download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps. From September, this will leap to 500/50Mbps; a substantial upgrade.

Higher tiers like the 250Mbps and gigabit plans are also receiving speed boosts, further enhancing what’s available for heavy users, gamers, streamers, and smart homes.

This development follows NBN Co’s decision to modernise its wholesale broadband offerings to better support a digital-first lifestyle, which includes 4K streaming, video conferencing, large file transfers, and smart home integration.

Not all customers will benefit equally

A key issue, however, is that these speed boosts won’t be available to everyone. The type of NBN technology in your area makes a big difference.

Customers connected via fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) or hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) will be able to enjoy the new 500/50Mbps speeds. But users on copper-based technologies - such as fibre-to-the-node (FTTN), fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC), or fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) - will remain limited to the current 100/20Mbps.

To complicate matters, the plan will continue to be marketed under the same name ("Home Fast"), regardless of whether your connection is eligible for the increased speeds. This inconsistency could lead to confusion and disappointment for customers who expect more than their infrastructure can support.

Equipment upgrades may be necessary

Even if your premises is eligible for higher speeds, there’s another hurdle: your equipment. To make full use of these upgraded speeds, you may need to replace or upgrade your modem/router, especially if you purchased your own device rather than receiving one from your Internet provider.

Older modems or incorrectly configured devices can become bottlenecks, preventing you from experiencing the true potential of your plan. The problem is compounded by the fact that many providers may not know what equipment you’re using - especially if you’ve opted for a bring-your-own (BYO) modem setup.

Retailers will now be expected to inform customers about how to check if their equipment supports the new speeds. However, what that looks like in practice remains to be seen, and the tools or self-assessment guides available may vary by provider.

Conservative marketing and limited availability

Given these complexities, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging retailers to adopt conservative marketing tactics. This includes being careful about advertising "typical evening speeds" and clearly stating that high-speed services are only available in limited areas.

The ACCC is also proposing updates to marketing guidelines, requiring providers to take “reasonable steps” to help customers determine if their equipment and connection type are compatible with their chosen speed tier. Failure to do so could mislead consumers, something the regulator has penalised in the past.

The benefits of faster speeds

Despite the hurdles, faster Internet speeds can offer numerous advantages:

• Improved streaming and gaming: Say goodbye to buffering and lag. High-speed plans are ideal for streaming in 4K or higher resolutions and for smooth, real-time gaming experiences.
• Better multitasking: Multiple users and devices can operate simultaneously without slowdowns - ideal for households where remote work, online learning, and entertainment happen at the same time.
• Future-proofing: Investing in a faster plan now can prepare you for growing data needs as more smart home devices and data-heavy applications become commonplace.

So, are faster NBN speeds worth it?

If your home is connected via FTTP or HFC, and you're using the right equipment, the answer is a strong yes - especially if your household demands high performance.

However, if you're on a copper-based connection or haven’t updated your modem in years, you might not see much improvement without further investment.

Contact Compare Broadband today

Want to find out if your home can access the new faster NBN speeds? Speak to the experts at Compare Broadband. They can help you choose the right plan based on your connection type, household needs, and equipment setup.

Call 1300 764 000 to compare faster broadband plans now.