NBN user satisfaction on the rise, according to NBN Co

Jacqui Dent - Editorial Strategist

Last updated 10 May 2018

NBN user satisfaction on the rise, according to NBN Co

NBN Co has reported an increase in overall user satisfaction with the NBN, up from an average of 5.9 to 6.5 in the past year.

That figure is between 6 and 7 for users receiving service from the top four telcos and in the high 7s for users who have connected to the NBN since late last year. NBN Co measures user satisfaction on an 11 point scale.

NBN Co Chief Executive Bill Morrow attributes the increased satisfaction rates to a number of factors including recent cuts to the wholesale price of NBN 50. Nearly one million customers are now on NBN 50 plans, accounting for 26% of all NBN plans, up from just 4.6% in December last year.

Even the ACCC, which has had a historically tense relationship with the NBN, is impressed by the change, with Chairman Rod Sims describing it as a "remarkable shift".

Another reason for the shift in satisfaction rates, according to Morrow, is a 6% decrease in installation errors, with 91% of premises now receiving correct installation at the first try. Meanwhile, Morrow says, telcos are communicating more clearly and openly with consumers in terms of what speeds to expect on their plan and what speeds would be most suitable for their household.

NBN congestion, on the other hand, has seen a small increase over the past two months, up to 18 minutes per week for the average fixed-line user, from 12 minutes per week back in March. This is still a huge improvement on twelve months ago, however, when the average user was experiencing five hours of congestion per week.

Morrow attributed the slight increase in congestion to new customers and telco adjustments to bandwidths. He said to expect congestion rates to remain somewhat fluid.

To date, NBN Co reports that 6.5 million premises are ready to connect to the NBN and 3.7 million premises have an active NBN service. NBN Co is on track to complete 75% of the NBN build by the end of this year.

Wireless network increase and possibility of 5G

NBN Co also reports the company is redesigning and increasing the capacity of its fixed wireless network. Fixed wireless users consistently rate their service highly, according to Morrow, with the result that the current capacity of the network is not sufficient.

Meanwhile, Morrow reported that NBN Co could consider incorporating 5G mobile technology into its network. This new development follows speculation that the arrival of the 5G network could pose a threat to the NBN and compete with the network as a provider of home internet connections.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, as they say. Especially given that recent real-world tests of 5G have indicated the new mobile network could be up to 30x faster than the NBN.

Jacqui Dent

Editorial Strategist

Jacqui Dent is an Editorial Content Strategist at WhistleOut Australia, where she writes about mobile phone plans, NBN plans and everything in between. Over her ten-year career, she has worked to provide informed advice to the public, first in the sphere of writing and now in the world of consumer tech. Jacqui has also written about consumer telco products for Business Insider, Pedestrian and the 50Up Club.

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