Before You Book: Check These 2 Things First

Before you start preparing for installation day, confirm two things. Skip either one and you’ll hit a dead end.

1. Check your current connection type

The free FTTP upgrade applies to premises on Fibre to the Node (FTTN) or Fibre to the Curb (FTTC). If you’re on HFC, Fixed Wireless, or satellite, this upgrade path isn’t available to you.

Not sure what you’re on? Check your most recent nbn bill or enter your address on our address checker. This will tell you which technology is serving your premises.

2. Check your address eligibility

Eligibility is determined at the address level, not by suburb. Your neighbour might be eligible while you’re not, depending on infrastructure and rollout staging. The only way to know for sure is to check your specific address.

Note: The FTTP upgrade requires you to order a plan at certain minimum speed tiers through a participating provider. Your provider will confirm which plans qualify when you check your address. If you’re unsure what’s available at your location, the Skymesh team can walk you through it.

nbn Fibre Upgrade Checklist: What to Prepare Before Installation

This checklist covers everything you need to organise on your side before the technician arrives.

Task	Details	When
Get landlord approval (renters only)	The installation involves drilling through walls and potentially digging. You need written permission from your landlord or property manager before the technician arrives. Without it, the technician cannot proceed and the appointment will be cancelled.	As soon as you order
Arrange body corporate approval (apartments and units)	If you live in a strata property, the body corporate or owners’ committee may need to approve the work, especially where common areas are affected. Start this early. Body corporate approvals can take time.	As soon as you order
Confirm an adult will be home	Someone aged 18 or over must be present for the entire installation to provide consent and sign off on the work. This person doesn’t need to be the account holder. A housemate, partner, or family member is fine.	Before installation day
Clear access to the outside of your property	The technician needs unobstructed access to the exterior wall where the nbn utility box will be installed. Move bins, garden pots, vehicles, or anything blocking the path. Unlock any gates that lead to the installation area.	Morning of installation
Clear the interior wall area	The nbn connection box will be installed inside your home, ideally near your existing phone jack or telecommunications point and within 1.5 metres of a power outlet. Clear furniture and items from that wall.	Morning of installation
Secure pets	The technician needs safe access to both the inside and outside of your home. Keep pets in a separate room or area for the duration of the visit.	Morning of installation
Think about where you want the internal box	You’ll get a chance to discuss placement with the technician on the day, but it helps to think about it in advance. The nbn connection box needs a power outlet (plugged directly in, not via a power board) and should be close to where you plan to position your router.	Before installation day
Check devices that rely on your internet	Security alarms, medical monitoring systems, and VOIP phone services may be affected during the switchover. Check with your provider and your device manufacturer to confirm compatibility with the new connection.	Before installation day

FTTP Installation Day: What to Expect

The installation takes between two and four hours. During that time, the technician will install two pieces of equipment: an nbn utility box on the outside of your home and an nbn connection box on the inside. The work involves running a fibre cable from the street to your property and a small amount of drilling through your exterior wall.

There may be a brief disruption to your power while the equipment is connected. Your existing internet service stays active throughout. You won’t lose connectivity until the new FTTP connection is ready and you’ve confirmed the switch with your provider.

The technician will walk through your property at the start of the visit to assess the best locations for the equipment. You’ll have a chance to discuss your preferences, but the technician will determine what’s feasible based on site conditions. Once you’re happy with the plan, you’ll provide signed consent before the work begins.

What if the technician flags a complex installation?

Sometimes the technician will arrive and discover that the job is more complicated than expected: a blocked conduit, difficult terrain, or significant work required outside your premises. If that happens, they may install the nbn boxes but won’t be able to complete the full fibre connection on the same day.

Your provider will contact you to reschedule. Your existing internet keeps working in the meantime. There’s no additional cost for the follow-up visit, but it will mean waiting longer for your upgrade to go live.

Common Reasons FTTP Upgrades Get Delayed or Rescheduled

Most of the reasons an FTTP upgrade gets delayed are things you can prevent.

No adult present on the day 

The technician needs someone 18+ on-site to give consent and sign off. If no one is home, the appointment is cancelled and you’ll need to rebook through your provider, which means joining the queue again.

Landlord approval not obtained

If you’re renting and haven’t secured written landlord permission, the technician cannot start work. This is a common cause of same-day cancellations. Get approval in writing as soon as you place your order, not the week before installation.

Access to the installation point is blocked 

A locked gate, a car parked against the wall, or overgrown vegetation blocking the path to the external installation point will prevent the technician from completing the job. Check and clear the area the morning of your appointment.

Complex installation flagged on the day

If the technician identifies unexpected complications (a blocked conduit, significant external work) they may need to reschedule. Your provider will contact you to arrange a follow-up visit at no extra cost.

After Your FTTP Upgrade: What to Check

Once your provider confirms that your new FTTP connection is active, a few things are worth checking to make sure you’re getting the full benefit.

Run a speed test

Connect your device directly to your router via an ethernet cable and run a speed test at speedtest.net or a similar tool. This gives you a baseline reading without Wi-Fi interference. Compare the result against the typical evening speeds advertised on your plan.

Check your router is up to the job

FTTP unlocks speeds that older routers can’t deliver. If your router only supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), it may cope with plans up to around 500 Mbps, but for faster tiers, you’ll want Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or newer. If your router is more than five years old, it’s worth upgrading. Skymesh offers a plug-and-play router built for nbn connections if you’d rather not research one yourself.

Position your router well

Even the best router will underperform if it’s tucked behind a TV cabinet or sitting on the floor in a back room. Place it in a central, open location, elevated off the ground, and away from other electronics, microwaves, and thick walls where possible.

If speeds don’t match your plan

Contact Skymesh, not nbn Co directly. As your retail service provider, Skymesh is your first point of contact for speed issues and can run diagnostics, check your line, and escalate to nbn if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions