Forget 2Gbps NBN — NBN Co’s latest full-fibre speed trial proves the network can go much, much faster
It’s a far cry from reality, but a reality it could one day be
· TechRadarNews By Max Langridge published 27 March 2026
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Australia’s NBN took a big step forward in September 2025 with the arrival of 2Gbps NBN 2000 plans, part of a wider rollout of NBN speed upgrades designed to bring faster speeds to more homes. It was an impressive jump — but it turns out it may have only scratched the surface of what the network can really deliver.
That’s because NBN Co has recently conducted lab trials using the current fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology, which serves the fastest NBN plans. The trials revealed that the full fibre connection could achieve download speeds of 230Gbps — some 100 times faster than the current maximum residential speeds available.
How was NBN Co able to achieve such insane speeds using the current infrastructure? Coherent optics. This, according to NBN Co, is a “type of advanced communications technology typically found within core and data centre networks, with vast reach, low latency and massive capacity required to meet ever-growing demand”.
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In layman’s terms, it’s a more advanced way of sending data over fibre that uses the light signal more efficiently, allowing it to carry more data and work better over longer distances. And in even simpler terms, NBN Co has proven its current fibre network can support even faster services in the future without needing brand-new cabling to be laid.
Sweet! When can I get blitzing-fast internet?
Hold on there for a second. While it’s now been proven that the current FTTP infrastructure has the potential to deliver speeds we wouldn’t have thought possible just a few years ago, it’s purely a trial for now.
Considering anyone wishing to sign up for an NBN 2000 plan will need a new network termination device (NTD) to support 2Gbps speeds, then new, more advanced hardware will most definitely be needed to support speeds over 100 times faster.
Do we even need these fast speeds?
The prospect of 230Gbps download speeds is undeniably cool and exciting — you could download a 140GB game in about 4.9 seconds, for example — but do we actually need them?
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