NBN Co reveals costs for users to switch to fibre

NBN Co will allow users to choose the type of technology to be rolled out to their home or community, for a price.

The company's new 'technology choice policy' [pdf], released today and first spotted by NBN watcher Jxeeno, will allow either individual customers, communities or local governments to opt against a rollout technology designated by NBN Co.

NBN Co first indicated plans to release such a 'fibre-on-demand' product - allowing home and business owners to purchase fibre-to-the-premise - late last year, but declined at the time to comment on cost.

The company is still yet to offer detailed pricing for how much it will charge users to switch to their technology of choice despite today releasing the technology choice policy.

It did, however, reveal that costs for each type of technology upgrade would range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands for an individual, or from tens of thousands to several millions for a community or area.

Individuals will be charged around $600 for a quote on a technology switch, while quotes for communities and other areas would cost upwards of $1000.

Design and quote fees are non-refundable, NBN Co said [pdf].

"The cost generally depends upon the size and complexity of the project," NBN Co stated on its website.

"As various factors will impact on the final cost to move to an alternate technology, NBN Co will assess every application individually so that these various factors can be taken into account and so that it can provide applicants with a high level cost estimate. An application fee is payable to procure the cost estimate."

Business parks, communities or multi-dwelling units wanting to shift technologies - other than from HFC to fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP), which is "under development" - are able to make applications now. 

Individuals wanting to move from fixed wireless to fibre-to-the-basement (FTTB) or FTTP can make applications now, as can those wanting to move from satellite to FTTP.

Any individual wanting to shift from FTTB or fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) to FTTP will need to wait until April and July respectively.

NBN Co is not currently taking applications for individual migrations from fixed wireless to FTTN, satellite to fixed wireless, or satellite to FTTN or FTTB.

The company said areas wanting to switch technologies would need to make their application before the network is rolled out in that region.

Individual applicants will need to wait until the NBN has been rolled out in their location, it said. All applicants would need to be within the NBN footprint.

End users will be advised on the construction timeframe once their quote is issued, NBN Co said.