Australian broadband users opting for faster speed tiers, according to NBN

NBN has recorded increased rates for Australians switching to faster retail internet plans, with 70% of new orders on the NBN access network now based on wholesale speed tiers of 50 Mbps (download) or higher.

The figures come from NBN's monthly progress report, which states that since December 2017, orders for wholesale speed tiers of 50 Mbps or higher have almost tripled, increasing from 16% to 44%.

While the majority (56%) of wholesale orders are still for 25Mbps (download) speed tiers or lower, this number has come down from 84% since December 2017.

It also says average bandwidth network congestion has reduced from more than five hours to less than 30 minutes per service, per week compared to this time last year (excluding Sky Muster satellite).

The public infrastructure company attributes the increased uptake rate to the availability of its new wholesale discount options, which are designed to support internet providers in reducing bandwidth congestion and selling higher speed broadband retail plans.

NBN residential chief customer officer Brad Whitcomb says, "We're pleased to see our work with industry is showing early signs of paying off with our insights indicating that new customers who connect to the network are generally more satisfied with their broadband service than before we introduced our new wholesale discount options.

"It's important for people connecting to the NBN access network to understand how to pick a speed tier and retail plan that suits their needs.

"We recommend people talk to their internet provider about the actual speeds they are likely to experience, particularly during peak times and choose a plan that supports the number of people, usage habits and devices in the home," Whitcomb continues.

The report comes as NBN has switched its focus to capital cities, now stating that 250,000 new homes and businesses across metro Australia will be able to connect to the NBN in the next three months.

The company says the network is more than halfway built at this stage, with almost four million homes and businesses now connected and a time-frame for completion by 2020.

Whitcomb says the new progress report also reveals the company is improving its ability to respond to issues. "Our latest progress report shows in the last year we have also improved our ability to work with internet providers to restore faults on the network within our agreed timeframes by 30%," Whitcomb continues.

"We know there is more work to be done and will continue to collaborate with the industry as the rollout gathers pace.