NBN Co and Ericsson have successfully conducted live field trials of the latest 5G millimetre wave (mmWave) technology in parts of the nbn^® Fixed Wireless network, achieving wholesale download speeds exceeding 1 Gbps and wholesale upload speeds of more than 100 Mbps at a distance of approximately 10 kilometres.

These trials are part of nbn’s ongoing efforts to enhance broadband connectivity for eligible homes and businesses in regional and rural Australia. By testing both the speed and extended range capabilities of 5G mmWave, nbn and Ericsson aim to significantly improve broadband performance for eligible homes and businesses over time.

So far, nbn and Ericsson have deployed 5G mmWave equipment to approximately 850 of the 2,300 network sites within the nbn Fixed Wireless network. The latest Ericsson software in combination with the existing Nokia Wireless Network Termination Devices Version 4 (WNTDv4 or nbn premises antennas) allows nbn to increase the effective range of the 5G mmWave sites from approximately 6.9 kilometres to 10 kilometres and beyond. The higher speed, longer range capabilities remain in the testing phase for now and have not yet been made available to customers at scale.

Approximately 10,000 premises across Australia are currently actively using 5G mmWave. nbn expects this number to grow as more WNTDs are upgraded.
 

Recent milestone achievement

nbn recently completed a $750 million upgrade to its Fixed Wireless network using the latest 4G and 5G millimetre wave technology.

The upgrades, completed by 31 December 2024, have expanded the transmission radius of around 2,300 Fixed Wireless towers using mid-band spectrum from 14 kilometres to 29 kilometres, increasing the network’s coverage footprint from 220,000 to 345,000 square kilometres.

The upgrades to the nbn Fixed Wireless network now provide higher-speed, future-ready broadband to an addressable market of some 800,000 homes and businesses in parts of regional and rural Australia.
 

New high-speed Fixed Wireless plans

nbn has recently introduced new high-speed tier plans to eligible, upgraded locations via participating retail service providers:

• Fixed Wireless Home Fast is intended to be available to approximately 90 per cent of the expanded Fixed Wireless footprint. Fixed Wireless Home Fast has wholesale peak information rate speeds of 200-250/8-20 Mbps^1,2. Check the nbn website to see what is currently available at your address: www.nbnco.com.au/check
  
  
• Fixed Wireless Superfast is intended to be available to approximately 80 per cent of the expanded Fixed Wireless footprint. Fixed Wireless Superfast has wholesale peak information rate speeds of 400/10-40 Mbps^1,2. Check the nbn website to see what is currently available at your address: www.nbnco.com.au/check

As part of the upgrades, the company’s most significant breakthroughs have involved optimised spectrum reuse, and minimising the number of premises served per cell. nbn is working closely with Qualcomm Technologies Inc. as part of its long-standing collaboration to deliver leading, extended range gigabit services to customers.

Gavin Williams, Chief Development Officer - Regional and Remote at NBN Co, said:

“We look forward to realising the full potential of our Nokia Wireless Network Termination Devices (WNTDs or nbn premises antennas) and engaging with Ericsson to expand the reach of 5G mmWave, we plan to make higher speed Fixed Wireless broadband available to more customers. We will make further announcements throughout the year.

“We have pushed the boundaries of 5G mmWave with Ericsson, testing and validating their latest software now matching the limit of nbn’s current WNTDv4.

“We are very pleased to see that, at a range of just under 10 kilometres, our network and WNTDv4 is proven to accommodate download speeds well over 1 Gbps and upload speeds in excess of 100 Mbps.

“This points to an exciting future network capability for business and enterprise grade services or higher speed services for residential customers.”

Footnotes

1. Your experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn network, depends on the nbn network technology and configuration over which services are delivered to your premises, whether you are using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside our control (like your equipment quality, software, broadband plans, signal reception and how your service provider designs its network). Speeds may be impacted by the number of concurrent users on nbn's Fixed Wireless network, including during busy periods.

2. Fixed Wireless Plus, Fixed Wireless Home Fast and Fixed Wireless Superfast are also subject to policer settings which overprovision those services by 50 per cent. This means even faster speeds are possible when network conditions allow (in particular, up to Layer 2 data download rates possible on Plus, Home Fast and Superfast are 150 Mbps, 375 Mbps and 600 Mbps respectively). Please note that nbn has not committed to maintaining these policer settings or to achieving overprovisioned speeds. Actual speeds experienced by end customers are affected by many other factors, including your internet provider's shaper policies and network and equipment configuration. Eligibility for the two high-speed plan options in upgraded areas will depend on a range of factors, including your location. Contact your participating provider to find out if you'll be eligible to upgrade your plan.