Community & Business
22 January, 2025
NBN upgrades for Gilgandra
Over 1000 locations in Gilgandra can now connect to the high-speed national broadband network (NBN).
With connectivity continuing to be a huge concern in the local area, the news that over 1000 premises in Gilgandra can now connect to full-fibre under a national nbn upgrade program is welcome.
Head of nbn Local NSW, Regional Development and Engagement, Tom O’Dea, told the Gilgandra Weekly the fibre upgrade program has been carried out in Gilgandra and Narromine, bringing high-speed full-fibre closer to approximately 1,059 premises in Gilgandra and 1,810 premises in Narromine.
The program is close to completion, which is good news for local nbn users given the data statistics are growing.
“Data demand and usage in Australia has doubled in the last five years, with the average household consuming 443 gigabytes per month across 22 internet-connected devices,” Mr O’Dea said.
“[This] is a significant increase from 40 gigabytes of monthly data use across approximately seven internet-connected devices, on average, 10 years ago.”
The company expects this to grow to 33 devices per household by 2026 and 40 devices, on average, by the end of the decade, he added.
This demand will be driven by increased use of high and super-high-definition streaming on 4K TVs, increased gaming, and the proliferation of cloud computing, generative artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality, Mr O’Dea said. Demand will also be driven by people continuing to expect higher quality video conferencing and computing capabilities while working and studying at home.
Upgrading to full-fibre can enable access to a faster and more reliable nbn broadband service, Mr O’Dea said.
This is expected to deliver a range of benefits, including smoother, higher-resolution video calls, enhanced streaming, faster downloads, and the ability to connect more devices simultaneously.
“With the recent announcement of speed boosts for higher tier plans and the introduction of multi-gigabit speeds from September 2025, there’s never been a better time to consider upgrading to nbn fibre,” Mr O’Dea said.
The nbn is also delivering other network upgrades, such as extending and accelerating the range and capabilities of nbn Fixed Wireless around Gilgandra.
“In addition, we have made significant improvements for satellite customers, offering plans with uncapped data usage for all internet activities, and for the first time, our 25/5 Mbps wholesale plan now allows for burst download speeds of up to 100 Mbps,” he added.
Homes and businesses in the area are encouraged to check their address at the nbn website to see what service is available to them.
Staff from the nbn will be at the IGA in Miller Street on Thursday, January 23, and Thursday, January 30 from 10am to 2pm to provide information and answer questions about connectivity.
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