If your apartment building is connected to the NBN, the technology type your building uses determines what speeds residents can get, whether upgrades are available, and which internet service providers can service the building. Two technology types dominate multi-dwelling units across Australia: FTTB (Fibre to the Building) and FTTP (Fibre to the Premises).
Most strata managers do not know which one their building has — and it matters more than most realise. The wrong assumption can lead to unrealistic resident expectations, missed upgrade opportunities, and unnecessary complaints directed at the owners corporation. This guide explains the difference, what the NBN upgrade programme actually covers, and what strata managers and owners corporation committees can do regardless of which technology their building is on.
What Is FTTB (Fibre to the Building)?
With FTTB, NBN Co runs a fibre optic cable from the wider network to a communications room inside your building — typically the MDF (Main Distribution Frame) room in the basement or ground floor. This is where the fibre terminates.
From that point, the signal travels to individual apartments using the building's existing internal copper telephone cabling. That internal copper segment is the key limitation of FTTB.
Speed Limitations of FTTB
Because the last leg of the connection relies on copper wiring that is often decades old, FTTB is subject to the same physical constraints as older copper-based technologies. In practical terms:
- Most FTTB buildings are capped at a maximum plan speed of 100/20 Mbps (download/upload)
- Higher-tier NBN plans — 250 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1000/400 Mbps — are not available to FTTB apartments
- The speed each apartment achieves depends on the length and quality of the internal copper run from the MDF room to the unit
- No retail service provider (RSP) can override this limitation, regardless of what they advertise
The fibre runs to the building — but not to the apartment. The copper inside the building is the bottleneck, and it cannot be resolved by changing ISPs or selecting a higher plan.
ISP Choice on FTTB
Despite the speed cap, FTTB does preserve open ISP access. Residents in FTTB buildings can generally choose from any NBN retail service provider — Aussie Broadband, Superloop, Optus, Telstra, and many others. This is an advantage over some privately-built alternative networks inside buildings, which can lock residents into a single provider.
What Is FTTP (Fibre to the Premises)?
FTTP is the NBN's premium technology type. With FTTP, optical fibre runs all the way from the network into each individual apartment. A device called an NTD (Network Termination Device) is installed on the wall inside the apartment — this is the point where the fibre connection terminates.
There is no shared copper segment inside the building. Each apartment has its own dedicated fibre connection from the network.
What FTTP Enables for Residents
- Speed plans up to 1000/400 Mbps are available today
- As technology evolves, multi-gigabit services are technically achievable on the same fibre infrastructure
- Each apartment's connection is independent — one resident's usage does not affect another apartment's speeds through shared internal cabling
- NBN Co's higher-tier plans (NBN 250, NBN 500, NBN 1000) are all accessible
FTTP is widely regarded as future-proof infrastructure. Residents in FTTP buildings are not constrained by when the building was constructed or what cabling was installed at the time.
The NBN FTTP Upgrade Programme for Apartment Buildings
NBN Co has been running a programme to upgrade eligible multi-dwelling unit buildings from older technologies to full FTTP. This is one of the most common questions strata managers ask — and one of the most commonly misunderstood.
Which Buildings Are Eligible?
The NBN FTTP upgrade programme for apartment buildings and complexes primarily targets buildings currently on:
- FTTN (Fibre to the Node)
- FTTC (Fibre to the Curb)
- HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial)
FTTB buildings are largely excluded from the current upgrade programme. This is a critical distinction. The rationale from NBN Co is that FTTB already delivers fibre to the building itself. Upgrading from FTTB to full FTTP requires running individual fibre strands to each apartment through the building's internal risers and ducts — a significant construction undertaking compared with upgrading FTTN or FTTC premises.
The FTTB Trial Programme
From 1 July 2025, NBN Co began trialling FTTP upgrades for a selected number of FTTB buildings. This is not a broadly available programme — it is a limited trial. Owners corporation representatives who wish to express interest in being considered for the trial can contact NBN Co directly at [email protected]. An NBN Co team member will confirm whether the building is eligible to participate.
If your building is on FTTB and not selected for the trial, there is no guaranteed upgrade pathway through NBN Co at this time.
For Eligible Buildings (FTTN, FTTC, HFC): How the Upgrade Works
For buildings that are eligible for the standard programme, the upgrade process involves:
- NBN Co assesses and initiates the upgrade based on network planning priorities
- The owners corporation must agree to provide building access for NBN Co technicians to install infrastructure in common areas
- Depending on the state or territory, a special resolution at a general meeting may be required to authorise the access agreement
- A co-contribution fee applies — currently $275 (inc. GST) per individual unit and per common area service connected (such as security, access control, or EV chargers). This fee is payable by the owners corporation or body corporate on behalf of all owners. For a 50-unit building, this equates to $13,750 for residential connections alone (common area services are counted separately)
- The entire building must participate — partial building upgrades are not available under the programme
Internal cabling work inside individual apartments, where required, may involve additional coordination. Strata managers should confirm the full scope with NBN Co at the time of assessment.
For more background on how NBN upgrades affect strata buildings, see our guide: NBN Upgrade in Strata Buildings: What It Means for Residents and Owners Corporations.
What FTTB Residents Are Actually Limited To
For the majority of apartments on FTTB in Australia, the practical situation is straightforward:
- Maximum plan speed: 100/20 Mbps — this is the ceiling, not a soft limit
- Upgrading to a 250 Mbps, 500 Mbps, or 1000/400 Mbps plan with any ISP will not improve speeds beyond what the internal copper supports
- The only way to access higher speeds is through full FTTP remediation — running individual fibre to each apartment — or by connecting to a privately-built alternative fibre network inside the building
Some FTTB buildings where internal cabling has been upgraded to more modern infrastructure may achieve modestly higher results, but this is the exception rather than the rule. The copper inside older apartment buildings is the hard constraint.
Residents who contact their ISP expecting 500 Mbps or 1000 Mbps service in an FTTB building will be directed back to the building's technology type. This is not an ISP problem — it is a network infrastructure limitation that no retail provider can resolve.
What Strata Managers Can Do About FTTB Limitations
Understanding what your building has — and what your options are — is the starting point for managing resident expectations and planning ahead.
Step 1: Confirm Your Building's NBN Technology Type
Visit the NBN Co address checker at nbnco.com.au and enter your building's address. The result will show the current technology type and whether any upgrade is scheduled or available. This takes two minutes and gives you a definitive answer to the most common resident query about internet speeds.
Step 2: Register Interest If Eligible for an Upgrade
If your building is on FTTN, FTTC, or HFC, check the NBN Co buildings upgrade page to see whether your building qualifies and how to initiate the process. If your building is on FTTB, you can email [email protected] to enquire about the FTTB trial, with the understanding that availability is limited.
Step 3: Consider a Privately-Built Alternative Fibre Network
For FTTB buildings with no upgrade pathway through NBN Co, a privately-built fibre network inside the building is the most direct route to gigabit-capable speeds for residents. Providers such as Spirit Telecom, Gigacomm, and OptiComm build and maintain their own fibre infrastructure inside apartment buildings independently of the NBN.
Key considerations for this path:
- The owners corporation must approve installation of infrastructure in common areas — this typically requires a resolution at a general meeting
- Private network providers may have exclusivity arrangements, which means residents would use the provider's chosen RSPs rather than having open NBN RSP access
- The provider runs their own fibre to each apartment, effectively bypassing the building's existing copper entirely
- Build timelines and feasibility vary by building size, layout, and provider coverage area
For a broader overview of how technology infrastructure decisions affect apartment developments, see: Technology Infrastructure for Apartment Developments.
Step 4: Separate the Common Area Internet from the Residential NBN Discussion
This is a distinction that significantly simplifies the strata manager's role. The internet connection used for building management systems — CCTV, access control, lifts, lobby Wi-Fi, intercoms — does not use the residential NBN infrastructure. These are separate services, and the building's NBN technology type (FTTB or FTTP) has no bearing on them.
Common area internet connectivity can be sourced independently, regardless of what NBN technology the building's apartments use.
FTTP Buildings: What the Upgrade Means in Practice for Strata Managers
When a building is upgraded from an older technology to FTTP, the process involves NBN Co technicians installing an NTD inside each apartment. This is where the strata manager's practical involvement is most relevant.
What the Strata Manager's Role Typically Involves
- Facilitating building access: NBN Co technicians need access to common areas, riser spaces, and communications rooms. The strata manager coordinates this with building management
- Communicating with residents: Letting apartment owners and tenants know that NBN Co technicians will need access to their apartment to install the NTD
- Scheduling: Working with NBN Co on an access programme that minimises disruption across the building
What the Upgrade Does Not Do Automatically
Completing an FTTP upgrade does not automatically give any resident a faster internet connection. After the NTD is installed in each apartment, the resident must:
- Contact their chosen RSP (or select a new one)
- Sign up for a plan that takes advantage of the FTTP capability — an NBN 250, 500, or 1000 plan
- Have their RSP activate the service on the new FTTP connection
A resident on a 50/20 Mbps plan before the upgrade will remain on a 50/20 Mbps plan after the upgrade unless they actively change their plan. The infrastructure upgrade unlocks the possibility of higher speeds — it does not deliver them automatically. Setting this expectation clearly with residents before the upgrade is completed prevents confusion and post-upgrade complaints.
Common Area Internet: Pickle's Role in Strata Buildings
The residential NBN connection in each apartment and the internet connection for building common areas are entirely separate matters. A building's FTTB or FTTP status does not affect how the common area network is designed, provisioned, or managed.
Pickle provides business internet connectivity for strata building common areas — covering the systems that keep a building operational:
- CCTV and security camera systems
- Access control (key card readers, intercom systems, gate controls)
- Lift emergency communication systems (compliant with AS1735)
- Building management systems (BMS)
- Lobby and amenity Wi-Fi for residents and visitors
These services run on dedicated business internet connections — not residential NBN. Pickle offers three connection types suited to strata environments:
- Business Broadband (NBN-based with static IP) for buildings with standard connectivity needs
- Enterprise Ethernet (dedicated fibre with symmetrical speeds and SLAs) for larger buildings or those with mission-critical system requirements
- Fixed Wireless (Gen 3) — a managed 4G/5G solution that is particularly well-suited to communications rooms, lift monitoring, and situations where NBN connectivity for common areas is unreliable or not available
Pickle's Fixed Wireless service operates entirely independently of the building's NBN infrastructure, making it a reliable fallback or primary solution regardless of whether the building is FTTB or FTTP.
Strata managers overseeing multiple buildings across a portfolio benefit from Pickle's single-point-of-contact model — one provider, standardised billing, and documented SLAs across all sites rather than managing separate contracts and fault escalations per building.
Learn more about Pickle's strata communications services: Strata Management Communications.
For business internet options that suit strata common areas: Pickle Business Internet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I find out if my building is FTTB or FTTP?
A: Go to nbnco.com.au and use the address checker tool. Enter your building's street address and the result will display the current NBN technology type connected to your building. If the result shows FTTB, residents are capped at 100/20 Mbps regardless of their ISP or plan. If it shows FTTP, residents can access the full range of NBN speed tiers.
Q: Will my building be upgraded to FTTP?
A: It depends on your current technology type. Buildings on FTTN, FTTC, or HFC may be eligible for the NBN FTTP upgrade programme. FTTB buildings are largely excluded from the main programme. NBN Co began trialling FTTP upgrades for selected FTTB buildings from 1 July 2025 — owners corporation representatives can email [email protected] to enquire about eligibility. There is no guarantee of inclusion in the trial.
Q: Can residents get faster speeds on FTTB?
A: Not through the NBN. FTTB is capped at 100/20 Mbps due to the internal copper cabling inside the building. Changing ISPs or upgrading to a higher NBN plan will not increase speeds beyond this ceiling. The only way to access faster speeds is through a full FTTP upgrade or by connecting to a privately-built alternative fibre network inside the building, if one is available.
Q: Does the building's NBN type affect the common area internet?
A: No. The internet connection used for CCTV, access control, lifts, and building management systems is separate from the residential NBN infrastructure. Common area connectivity is provisioned as a business service and is not affected by whether the building's apartments are on FTTB or FTTP.
Q: What is the difference between NBN and a private fibre network in a building?
A: The NBN is the national wholesale network built and operated by NBN Co. In apartment buildings, NBN Co installs infrastructure to the MDF room (FTTB) or to each apartment (FTTP), and residents choose from any accredited NBN retail provider. A private fibre network — built by providers such as OptiComm, Gigacomm, or Spirit Telecom — is a separately owned infrastructure that runs through the building independently of NBN Co. Private networks can offer gigabit speeds inside older buildings by bypassing the existing copper, but they may limit residents to a smaller range of retail providers compared with the open NBN ecosystem.
If you manage a strata building and want to understand what connectivity options are available for your common area systems — regardless of your building's NBN technology type — Pickle's team can assess your portfolio and recommend the right solution.
Call 1300 688 588 or email [email protected] to speak with a strata communications specialist.