{{Distinguish|NBN (TV station)}} {{Short description|Australian government-owned broadband network provider}} {{update|date=February 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox company | name = NBN Co Limited | logo = NBN Co logo.svg | logo_size = 150px | type = Federal Government Enterprise | foundation = {{Start date|df=yes|2009|4|9}} | location_city = Melbourne,<ref>{{cite web|title=NBN Co Limited | work=Australian Government Directory|url=https://www.directory.gov.au/portfolios/infrastructure-transport-regional-development-communications-and-arts/nbn-co-limited|publisher=Australian Government|access-date=15 May 2023|ref=17}}</ref> Australia | location_country = | key_people = {{plainlist| * Ellie Sweeney, CEO * Kate McKenzie, chair and non-executive director}} | industry = Telecommunications | services = Wholesale data network | revenue = {{AUD}}5.5 billion<ref name="ap">{{cite report | url = https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/about-nbn/reports/financial-reports/nbn-co-annual-report-2024.pdf.coredownload.pdf | title = 2024 Annual Report | access-date = 9 October 2024 | work = NBN Co Limited |date=6 August 2024 |pages=6, 7, 85, 152, 153, 154, 228|archive-date=9 October 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009071907/https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/about-nbn/reports/financial-reports/nbn-co-annual-report-2024.pdf.coredownload.pdf}}</ref> | revenue_year = 2024 | operating_income = {{AUD}}141 million<ref name="ap"/> | income_year = 2024 | net_income = {{AUD}}-1.2 billion<ref name="ap"/> | net_income_year = 2024 | assets = {{AUD}}380.77 billion<ref name="ap"/> | assets_year = 2024 | equity = $-3.76 billion<ref name="ap" /> | equity_year = 2024 | num_employees = 4,354<ref name="ap"/> | num_employees_year = 2024 | owner = Australian Federal Government | members = 8.61 million<ref name="ap" /> | members_year = 2024 | homepage = {{URL|nbnco.com.au}} }}
'''NBN Co Limited''', known simply as '''nbn''', is a federal government-owned enterprise of Australia, tasked to design, build and operate Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN) as the nation's wholesale broadband provider. NBN Co reports to two individuals: the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Communications.<ref>{{cite report |title=Annual Report 2009–2010 |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2018/documents/corporate-reports/nbnco-annual-report-09-10.pdf.coredownload.pdf |work=NBN Co |access-date=22 March 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009085047/https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2018/documents/corporate-reports/nbnco-annual-report-09-10.pdf.coredownload.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2024 }}</ref>
==History== NBN Co was established on {{nowrap|9 April 2009}} under the name of its company number, "ACN 136 533 741 Limited".<ref>{{citation |author=NBN Co Limited |title=Organisations & Business Names |publisher=Australian Securities and Investments Commission |url=https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/panelSearch.jspx?searchTab=search&searchText=nbn+co&searchType=OrgAndBusNm |access-date=2 June 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009090020/https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/RegistrySearch/faces/landing/panelSearch.jspx?searchTab=search&searchText=nbn+co&searchType=OrgAndBusNm |archive-date=9 October 2024}}</ref> After the establishment, the Australian Government started referring to the company as "National Broadband Network Company",<ref>{{citation |author1=LeMay, Renai |author2=Tindal, Suzanne |title=NBN company established, looks for CEO |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009112037/https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-company-established-looks-for-ceo/ |url-status=live |publisher=ZDNet |date=27 April 2009 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-company-established-looks-for-ceo/#google_vignette |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref> which became the de facto company name. It was officially named "NBN Co Limited" on {{nowrap|6 October 2009}}.<ref>{{citation |first=Renai |last=LeMay |title=It's official: 'NBN Co. Ltd' is the name |publisher=ZDNet |date=7 October 2009 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-official-nbn-co-ltd-is-the-name/ |archive-date=9 October 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009112402/https://www.zdnet.com/article/its-official-nbn-co-ltd-is-the-name/ |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{citation |first=Stan |last=Beer |title=NBN to make 49% up for grabs but who wants it? |publisher=iTWire |date=7 April 2009 |url=http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/beerfiles/24303-nbn-to-make-49-up-for-grabs-but-who-wants-it |access-date=1 June 2011 |archive-date=3 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403052405/http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/beerfiles/24303-nbn-to-make-49-up-for-grabs-but-who-wants-it |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{citation |first=Suzanne |last=Tindal |title=NBN company constitution revealed |publisher=ZDNet |date=1 May 2009 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-company-constitution-revealed/ |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref><ref>{{citation |first=Renai |last=LeMay |title=NBN company details hard to find |publisher=ZDNet |date=30 April 2009 |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-company-details-hard-to-find/ |archive-date=9 October 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009112729/https://www.zdnet.com/article/nbn-company-details-hard-to-find/ |access-date=1 June 2011}}</ref> It traded as "NBN Co" until 26 April 2015 when it began trading simply as "nbn".<ref>{{citation |first=David |last=Ramli |title=NBN Co spends $700,000 to drop 'Co' |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 April 2015 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/business/nbn-co-spends-700000-to-drop-co-20150425-1msqpx.html |access-date=27 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825002823/https://www.smh.com.au/business/nbn-co-spends-700000-to-drop-co-20150424-1msqpx.html |archive-date=25 August 2018}}</ref>
NBN Co developed a satellite internet program named Sky Muster aimed at rural areas. As of July 2023, over $620 million had been invested.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-06 |title=NBN aims to match Elon Musk's Starlink but may have to write off $620m |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/nbn-aims-to-match-elon-musk-s-starlink-but-may-have-to-write-off-620m-20230704-p5dlon |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705190237/https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/nbn-aims-to-match-elon-musk-s-starlink-but-may-have-to-write-off-620m-20230704-p5dlon |url-access=subscription |first1=Nick |last1=Bonyhady |last2=Baird |first2=Lucas |url-status=live |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=The Australian Financial Review |language=en}}</ref> However, the program experienced fierce competition from Starlink satellites. Sky Muster consists of two geosynchronous satellites orbiting over 35,000 km above Earth's surface, resulting in latency times around 600 milliseconds (at 25 Mbps), compared to Starlink's latency of below 40 milliseconds (for 100-200 Mbps).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Biggs |first=Tim |date=2023-07-07 |title=Telstra's Starlink deal could signal a new era of connectivity in hard-to-reach places |url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/telstra-s-starlink-deal-could-signal-a-new-era-of-connectivity-in-hard-to-reach-places-20230705-p5dlve.html |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009114042/https://www.smh.com.au/technology/telstra-s-starlink-deal-could-signal-a-new-era-of-connectivity-in-hard-to-reach-places-20230705-p5dlve.html |url-status=live |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>
In February 2017, CEO Bill Morrow stated that there is no significant demand for wired connections above 25 Mbit/s and consideration of upgrading the network will not be undertaken until demand for high-bandwidth services is proven.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/business/gigabit-per-second-speeds-arent-needed-yet-nbn-co-boss-bill-morrow-says-20170228-gunlkt.html |url-access=registration |first=Lucy |last=Battersby |date=1 March 2017 |orig-date=28 February 2017 |title=Gigabit per second speeds aren't needed yet, NBN Co boss Bill Morrow says |work=The Age |access-date=1 March 2017 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009114249/https://www.theage.com.au/business/gigabit-per-second-speeds-arent-needed-yet-nbn-co-boss-bill-morrow-says-20170228-gunlkt.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2019, NBN Co announced that by May 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-to-allow-internet-providers-to-pool-cvc-nationally-534587|archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009113130/https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-to-allow-internet-providers-to-pool-cvc-nationally-534587|url-status=live|first=Ry|last=Crozier|title=NBN Co to allow internet providers to pool CVC nationally|website=iTnews|access-date=2020-04-16}}</ref> retail service providers would be able to pool all their connectivity virtual circuit (CVC) bandwidth nationally.
In August 2019, CEO Stephen Rue announced the completion of the $51 billion National Broadband Network by June 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Peter |date=2019-08-15 |title=NBN will be complete by mid-2020 within revised budget, says CEO Stephen Rue |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-15/nbn-co-chief-says-better-times-ahead/11415256 |access-date=2020-04-16 |website=ABC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009114657/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-15/nbn-co-chief-says-better-times-ahead/11415256 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |url-status=live |language=en-AU}}</ref> However, some service areas were still being rolled out in 2020 and 2021 with FTTP for properties with FTTN or FTTC.
On 6 May 2024, CEO Stephen Rue announced his departure from the company to take the CEO position at Optus.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Nightly |access-date=9 October 2024 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009115207/https://thenightly.com.au/australia/nbn-chief-executive-resigns-stephen-rue-to-depart-as-he-is-named-new-ceo-of-optus-c-14560855 |url=https://thenightly.com.au/australia/nbn-chief-executive-resigns-stephen-rue-to-depart-as-he-is-named-new-ceo-of-optus-c-14560855 |date=6 May 2024 |first=Max |last=Corstorphan |title=NBN chief executive resigns: Stephen Rue to depart as he is named new CEO of Optus}}</ref> As of 3 December 2024, Ellie Sweeney, former CEO of Vocus, is the new CEO of NBN Co.
In January 2025, the company announced that over 8.6 million homes and businesses were connected to a plan over the nbn access network – compared with 6.7 million in February 2020.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2020/documents/how-we-are-tracking/nbn-february-2020-monthly-progress-report.pdf.coredownload.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009113448/https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/2020/documents/how-we-are-tracking/nbn-february-2020-monthly-progress-report.pdf.coredownload.pdf|archive-date=9 October 2024|title=Monthly Progress Report February 2020 |website=nbnco.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/about-nbn/network-premises-report/2025/network-premises-report-january-2025.pdf.coredownload.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407004214/https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbn/documents/about-nbn/network-premises-report/2025/network-premises-report-january-2025.pdf.coredownload.pdf | archive-date=2025-04-07}}</ref>
In September 2025, NBN Co introduced wholesale speed enhancements across its Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) and Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) networks, upgrading the 100/20 Mbps tier to 500/50 Mbps, the 250/25 Mbps tier to 750/50 Mbps, and increasing the upload capability of the 1000/50 Mbps tier to 100 Mbps. NBN Co also launched a new “Hyperfast” wholesale tier offering up to 2000/200 Mbps on FTTP and 2000/100 Mbps on HFC.<ref>{{cite web |title=Accelerate Great: transforming your internet speed |url=https://www.nbnco.com.au/corporate-information/about-nbn-co/newsroom/articles/customer/accelerate-great-transforming-your-internet-speed |website=NBN Co |date=6 June 2025 |access-date=18 November 2025}}</ref>
==NBN and retail service providers== The NBN network, as of 2022, draws together wired communication (copper, optical and hybrid fibre-coaxial) and radio communication (satellite and fixed wireless networks) at 121 points of interconnect typically located in Telstra owned telephone exchanges throughout Australia. NBN Co also sells access for mobile telecommunication backhaul to mobile telecommunications providers.<ref name="vodafone">{{cite web |url=http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/613689/vodafone-first-telco-use-nbn-mobile-coverage-boost/ |first=Rohan |last=Pearce |date=3 February 2017 |title=Vodafone first telco to use NBN for mobile coverage boost |work=Computerworld |access-date=9 March 2017 |archive-date=19 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619114248/https://www.computerworld.com/article/3470396/vodafone-first-telco-to-use-nbn-for-mobile-coverage-boost.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
As of 30 June 2016, Telstra had 45.5%, TPG group had 24.8% and Optus had 12.4% of all end users connecting to the NBN.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/three-isps-take-83-percent-of-nbn-market-437927 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009120011/https://www.itnews.com.au/news/three-isps-take-83-percent-of-nbn-market-437927 |url-status=live |first=Ry |last=Crozier |date=22 September 2016 |title=Three ISPs take 83 percent of NBN market |work=itnews |access-date=4 August 2017}}</ref>
There has been a significant failure of the nbn to deliver nominal performance to end users. There has been contention between Retail Service Providers RSPs and NBN on the reasons for this. Bill Morrow, then CEO of NBN Co, admitted in 2017 that 15% of end users received a poor service through the NBN and were 'seriously dissatisfied'.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.afr.com/business/telecommunications/nbn-to-review-pricing-as-part-of-image-problem-fix-20170724-gxhk0q |first1=Michael |last1=Smith |first2=Tony |last2=Boyd |date=24 July 2017 |title=NBN to review pricing as part of image problem fix |work=The Australian Financial Review |access-date=25 July 2017 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=26 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426141209/https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications/nbn-to-review-pricing-as-part-of-image-problem-fix-20170724-gxhk0q |url-status=live}}</ref> In addition, Morrow indicated that, at July 2017, prices and performance for end users were suppressed through a 'price war' between RSPs.<ref>{{cite news |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241009120830/https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/nbn-embarks-on-charm-offensive-to-address-confusion-and-complaints/news-story/07b17fc3b8563ccf706fafa2e2f7db87 |url-status=live |url=http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/nbn-embarks-on-charm-offensive-to-address-confusion-and-complaints/news-story/07b17fc3b8563ccf706fafa2e2f7db87 |first=Nick |last=Whigham |date=28 July 2017 |title=NBN embarks on charm offensive to address confusion and complaints |work=news.com.au |access-date=29 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-boss-declares-war-with-internet-providers-469724 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009120756/https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-boss-declares-war-with-internet-providers-469724 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |url-status=live |first=Ry |last=Crozier |date=31 July 2017 |title=NBN Co boss declares war with internet providers: Blames ISPs for performance problems |work=ITNews |access-date=31 July 2017}}</ref>
===Contractual arrangements=== NBN Co contracts mainly with RSPs to provide wholesale broadband access, with limited supply of backhaul to other organisations (for example providing backhaul services to Vodafone).<ref name="vodafone"/>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
== External links == <!-- Per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only --> *{{Official website|www.nbnco.com.au|Official website of nbn}}
{{Internet service providers of Australia}} {{authority control}}
Category:NBN Co Category:National Broadband Network Category:Internet service providers of Australia Category:Telecommunications companies of Australia Category:Commonwealth Government-owned companies of Australia Category:Companies based in Melbourne Category:Telecommunications companies established in 2009 Category:2009 establishments in Australia Category:Government-owned telecommunications companies