nbn hit a major milestone last week – two million activations and counting.

Retail Service Providers (RSPs) are signing Australians up for fast internet services over the nbn™ network at the quickest rate ever, and we’re now one quarter of the way towards our goal of connecting eight million homes and businesses to retail services over the nbn™ network by 2020.

This is a huge achievement for our company, which last May had one million premises connected to services over its network.  

Improving connectivity

Not only is it a significant milestone for nbn, but it is also a huge step forward for improving connectivity in Australia.

The rollout of the nbn™ access network sets the scene for the biggest transformation to Australia’s telecommunications industry, involving retail service provider network upgrades and the establishment of a network to bring access to fast broadband to all Australians.

Millions of consumers are already enjoying the benefits of fast broadband right across the country. Retailers are currently able to offer services to more than 4.5 million premises over the nbn™ network and thousands more are being added to the nbn™ network footprint each week.

I am extremely proud of the hard work of our people and delivery partners in building the network and connecting Australians at pace.

Reaching halfway

But we’re not stopping there. Around the middle of this year, we expect to reach the halfway point of the network build. Within a further 12 months, we expect to be three quarters of the way towards our 2020 goal.

These are ambitious but achievable targets and some have expressed doubt in our ability to reach them. I am confident that the processes and structures we have put in place to support the ramp up of the network will put us in a strong position to remain on track to meet our targets.

With the increased pace of the rollout, connecting to services over the nbn™ network is becoming a reality for more and more Australians every day.

The questions I regularly hear now are not only "when will I get the nbn™ network?", but also "what do I do now I can connect to services over the nbn™ network?"

This is a reflection of the fact more Australians are signing up for a service over the nbn™ network than ever before. It also means Australians are turning their mind to what they need to do when services over the nbn™ network become available in their area.  

What should I do to connect?

I always recommend consumers do their homework to find the best retailer and package to suit their needs. The nbn™ website is a great resource to learn what you need to know before connecting to services over the nbn™ network, as well as how to get the best experience out of your internet connection.  

It is important to remember there are a range of speed tiers available at a wholesale level on the nbn™ network – make sure you shop around to find what will suit your household or business’ needs.

This may vary depending on how many individuals and how many connected devices are at your premises. Speak to your retail service provider when making your decision as they can help you understand the options available to you.

A huge change

One fact I do like to remind people of is that the nbn™ network is the biggest transformation to Australia’s telecommunications industry to ever occur. When coupled with the network build of the service providers, it is the most significant network upgrade ever seen in Australia.

It represents an important change for all Australians as they make the move to services over the network. However, with any infrastructure build as large and multi-faceted as constructing the nbn™ network, challenges do inevitably present themselves along the way.

We understand the frustrations some consumers have experienced and we continue to work closely with industry retailers and providers to improve and refine our processes and the delivery of retail services over the nbn™ access network.

It is a great privilege to be part of the team connecting Australians to fast broadband across the country in order to support business opportunities, and provide access to leading education and healthcare services.

Fast broadband such as via services over the nbn™ network is changing how Australians connect with loved ones, educate our children and pioneer innovative workplace solutions.

Reaching two million activations is a significant milestone in this journey.  

JB Rousselot is Chief Network & Operations Officer at nbn.

Check your address to see if you can connect to the nbn™ network.