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NBN Co and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Read about our response to Coronavirus and what we’re doing to help you stay connected.








In these challenging times we’re doing all we can to ensure Australians stay connected. We continue to work closely with our delivery and industry partners to minimise the impact on our customers and our network.

When it comes to installation, maintenance and repairs of the nbn™ network, we will be guided by and ensure compliance with state and territory government public health orders. To date, these works are approved in COVID restricted areas to help ensure we can keep the community connected.

We will continue to adhere to the relevant government advice and health orders and adapt our work practices as required, to keep communities across Australia safe and connected.

If you are experiencing connectivity issues, please contact your phone and internet provider.

We are doing everything we can to ensure network reliability. Where it is still safe to do so, our technicians are mobile and working with internet providers to troubleshoot customer issues as they arise.

The health and safety of our people and customers is our number one priority as we continue to connect new premises to the network and respond to network maintenance and fault repairs.

Guided by state and territory government public health orders we have implemented additional health and safety procedures to support field technicians and customers, including:

  • Call on approach – our technicians will call ahead, verifying whether there is any reason to suspect risk of exposure to COVID-19 at the premises and confirm if they are able to enter the premises safely.
  • Appointment rescheduling - if the customer is uncomfortable allowing the technician to enter their premises, the appointment will be rescheduled and the connection deferred to a more suitable time.
  • Hygiene vigilance - We have provided our technicians with additional hygiene products, including P2 masks, alcohol-based hand rub or hand soap, alcohol-based wipes and disposable gloves to use when entering a customer’s home. They are also required to implement social distancing measures when attending the premises and exercising additional wipe downs of all equipment and high touch points.

During any appointments our technicians will apply social distancing and hygiene practices in accordance with government advice. We also ask that you also maintain social distancing while our technicians are onsite.

Before coming to your home or business, our technicians will either call or text to confirm:

  • That someone over 18 will be at the specified premises at the time of your appointment and it is safe for your technician to proceed.
  • If anyone at the premises is unwell and if they have any reason to suspect that they or anyone else at the premises has been exposed to someone with, or suspected to have Coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • If they or anyone else at the premises are in self-isolation due to having contact with someone with a suspected or diagnosed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19), isolated due to international travel within the last 14 days, or isolated due to an in-home recovery period.
  • If you’re comfortable going ahead or would like to postpone your appointment.

The following will occur depending on your response:

  • If your home is likely to be COVID-19 impacted, the appointment will be rescheduled
  • If you’re uncomfortable with a technician attending at the original time, the appointment will be put on hold to discuss with your retail service provider to reschedule a preferred date

You will be kept up to date with any changes to appointments, so you’re prepared. Your safety and the safety of our team are our number one priority.

With so many of us needing to work and learn from home, the quality of your in-home internet experience can often depend on the speed plan you’re on. You can find out more about what speed plan is best suited to your needs by visiting nbn.com.au/speed

You can also make sure your equipment at home, including your Wi-Fi, is set up to help get the most from your nbn™ connection. For more tips on how to do this, visit nbn.com.au/optimise

Get the right speed. Get the right plan. Get the optimum performance.


The health and safety of you and our people is our key priority as we continue to connect homes and businesses to the nbn network and respond to network maintenance and fault repairs.

We have implemented health, safety and wellbeing procedures to support our workforce and our customers including:

  • COVID-19 Vaccinations –  we require all employees and external workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to undertake customer and community facing work on behalf of nbn.
  • Confirmation SMS – we will confirm your connection date via two SMS messages. The first message will arrive 4 days prior, followed by another SMS 1 day before your scheduled time. Separate service appointments will be confirmed 1 day before your scheduled date.
  • Call on approach – our technicians will call ahead, verifying whether there is any reason to suspect risk of exposure to COVID-19 at the premises and confirm if they are able to enter the premises safely.
  • Hygiene vigilance - We have provided our technicians with additional hygiene products, including P2 masks, alcohol-based hand rub or hand soap, alcohol based wipes and disposable gloves.
  • Flexible workplace - nbn has many flexible workplace arrangements in place and is supporting teams working remotely. We have additional measures in place for our field workforce and our network operations centre. This includes providing the necessary exemptions to facilitate their movements where required, while continuing to apply the social distancing and hygiene measures already in place.

 


Top tips and things to keep an eye out for:

  • If someone claiming to work for nbn has contacted you trying to sell you an internet or phone service and you’re in doubt, ask for their details, hang up and call your retail service provider to check if they’re legitimate.
  • Do not share your bank or personal details with an unsolicited caller or with those who door knock claiming to be from nbn trying to sell you an nbn™ service or seek payment for related services.
  • nbn™ approved technicians and workers carry enAble™ identification cards – always request to see this card before providing physical access to your address.
  • Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer via the installation of programs such as Team Viewer.
  • nbn does not call you with automated assistance to advise you will be disconnected – we suggest you hang up the phone.
  • nbn is a ‘wholesaler’ – you will need to purchase an nbn™ powered plan through a phone or internet provider. We only accept direct payment from the public in certain circumstances e.g. switching technologies at your premises.
  • Working away from the office doesn't have to mean your data is less secure. Remember to use your company VPN where possible, lock your device and store safely, update software, create strong passwords, and enable multifactor authentication where possible.

You can find other tips here.







* An end user's experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn™ broadband access network, depends on the nbn™ access network technology and configuration over which services are delivered to their premises, whether they are using the internet during the busy period (typically, 7pm to 11pm), and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like their equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan, signal reception, or how their provider designs its network). Speeds may also be impacted by the number of concurrent users on the Fixed Wireless network, particularly during busy periods. Sky Muster™ satellite users may experience latency.