Fibre to the Premises (FTTP): what it is and what to expect

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) runs a fibre optic cable all the way from the local nbn exchange to a small box installed inside or on the outside of your home, called the nbn Connection Box (sometimes referred to as an NTD, or Network Termination Device). Because the fibre goes the entire distance, FTTP delivers the fastest and most consistent speeds of any nbn technology type.

What's installed at your home

An nbn technician fits an nbn Connection Box, usually in your garage, meter box or a wall inside the house. Your modem/router then plugs into this device with an ethernet cable.

Speed tiers available

FTTP supports the full range of nbn speed tiers, including the fastest plans available. On Lightning IP, FTTP customers can choose from:

Home plans

• Fast Fibre: 500 Mbps download / 50 Mbps upload
• Super Fast: 750 Mbps download / 50 Mbps upload
• Ultra Fast: 1000 Mbps download / 100 Mbps upload
• Hyper Fast: 2000 Mbps download / 200 Mbps upload

Pro and Priority plans (higher upload speeds)

• Pro 250: 250 Mbps download / 100 Mbps upload
• Priority 250: 250 Mbps download / 100 Mbps upload
• Priority 500: 500 Mbps download / 200 Mbps upload
• Priority 1000: 1000 Mbps download / 400 Mbps upload
• Priority 2000: 2000 Mbps download / 500 Mbps upload

Our Priority plans are designed for businesses, with an enhanced SLA. With upload speeds of up to 500 Mbps, they suit teams that regularly send large files, run cloud backups, host services or rely heavily on video conferencing.

Speeds shown are the maximum speeds of each nbn speed tier. Our lower-speed plans are also available on FTTP if you don't need this much speed.

Hyper Fast: up to 2000 Mbps

Hyper Fast and Priority 2000 are based on nbn's newest and fastest speed tier, with download speeds of up to 2000 Mbps (2 Gbps). On FTTP, Hyper Fast includes upload speeds of up to 200 Mbps, and Priority 2000 goes further with up to 500 Mbps. Faster uploads make a real difference for backing up to the cloud, uploading large files or video, livestreaming, and working from home.

To get the most out of a 2000 Mbps plan:

• Your nbn Connection Box needs to support multi-gigabit speeds. Some older FTTP Connection Boxes are limited to 1 Gbps. If yours needs replacing, nbn can upgrade it, and we'll arrange this with you when you order.
• Your modem/router needs a 2.5 Gbps (or faster) WAN port. A modem with a standard 1 Gbps port will cap your speed at around 1000 Mbps.
• Your devices matter too. Most laptops, consoles and TVs connect at 1 Gbps or less, and Wi-Fi speeds vary. A 2000 Mbps plan delivers its full value when several people and devices are online at once, or when a device is connected with a multi-gigabit ethernet port or Wi-Fi 7.

Latency: why FTTP feels quicker

Speed is how much data you can move at once. Latency (often called "ping") is how long data takes to make a round trip, and it's what you notice when a web page starts loading, in online games, and in video and voice calls.

FTTP typically has the lowest and most stable latency of any nbn technology type. Fibre carries the signal as light the whole way, so there's no copper line to add delay, interference or line errors. That means:

• Snappier web browsing and app responsiveness
• Smoother online gaming, with less lag and fewer spikes
• Clearer video calls with fewer dropouts or freezes

The latency you see also depends on how far away the server you're connecting to is, and on your home setup. For the lowest latency, connect gaming consoles or work computers to your modem with an ethernet cable rather than Wi-Fi.