NBN Sydney & NSW

What you need to know about nbn® in NSW 

By now the initial build and rollout of nbn services should be mostly complete, with heritage sites and some geographical challenges being the primary cause for delays in some areas. However, across NSW, only larger centres such as Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle and portions of Coffs Harbour have access to fixed line nbn connections, while regional and remote areas connect to the nbn using fixed wireless technology. 

About the nbn  

The National Broadband Network (nbn) was launched to replace Australia's old copper cable network with faster technology, using a combination of fibre optics, wireless, and satellites. Customers get access to the nbn by signing up with an internet service provider, who will take care of any installation requirements and repackaging the NBN Co's wholesale speed packages. 

How to connect to nbn? 

To get connected to the nbn you first need to check that the service is available at your address. Use our nbn rollout map to check your address and also see what technology or connection type is supported. You can then check out our great nbn plans and call us on 13 36 36, or use our online process to build your plan and sign up. 

If additional equipment needs to be installed in your home, we will arrange for a technician to do so, and take care of all the other steps to get you online. And if the nbn is not yet available in your area, we can still try to get you connected via ADSL until nbn infrastructure rolls out in your area. And we will then arrange to have you switched from ADSL to the nbn automatically. 

What nbn download speeds are available? 

While the NBN Co offers five wholesale speed packages, these aren't all made available to end users by internet service providers, and some are only supported by certain types of nbn connections. Check out our plans to see what is available through Dodo, and we will also be able to confirm whether your connection will be able to support the chosen package when you sign up. Speed plans currently promoted by the NBN Co include: 

• Home Basic I - designed for very basic usage with typical busy period speeds of less than 12Mbps. 
  • Home Basic II - designed for households with minimal users online at the same time. Download speeds should reach at least 15Mbps during busy periods. 
• Home Standard - ideal for high-definition (HD) streaming, playing games online and working from home. Download speeds should reach at least 30Mbps during busy periods. 
• Home Fast - ideal for 4K video streaming, downloading files and using multiple devices online at the same time. Download speeds should reach at least 60Mbps during busy periods. 
• Home Superfast - ideal for concurrent 4K video streams, downloading very large files, and using multiple devices at the same time with download speeds up to a theoretical maximum of 250 Mbps
• Home Ultrafast - the fastest available NBN speed with download speeds up to a theoretical maximum of 1000 Mbps

It is important to remember that the typical download speeds are not guaranteed and can be further influenced by a number of factors, including how many people in your household connect at the same time. 

Is switching to nbn compulsory? 

Switching to or using the nbn is not compulsory. However, the old copper cable infrastructure is shutdown within 18 months of the nbn being installed in a specific area or location. If you currently have a home phone and connect to the internet using ADSL technology, it uses the old copper cable network. If you still want to make phone calls from home and connect to the internet, you will have to switch to nbn or use mobile services instead. At Dodo we automatically switch our ADSL customers to nbn as soon as it becomes available, but not without confirming with you first. So, you never have to worry about any technical details to get faster and better connections. 

Do I need a new phone for nbn? 

Most home phones using the copper cable infrastructure should still be able to work on the nbn but will plug into the Modem we send you instead of a wall socket. This means that the phone and any security, medical, or fire alarms that normally operate off your phone line won't work when the power is out. 

What are nbn phone call rates? 

Phone calls on nbn plans from Dodo are charged on a pay as you go basis, with the following rates: 

Call packs priced from $10 a month are also available for unlimited local, national, and mobile calls, and from $15 a month for international calls to select countries. 

Where is nbn available in NSW? 

Our nbn rollout map is continually updated to reflect the latest information on nbn availability throughout New South Wales. Just type in your address and immediately see if the nbn is available and the type of connection you can expect. All NSW towns and cities have some form of nbn connection, even small towns such as Cobar, with only a few outlying areas of Sydney still waiting for the rollout to be completed.