NBN Co is looking at upgrading some FTTC users to full fibre. 

Despite billing its fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) technology as gigabit-capable, NBN Co is set to upgrade parts of the FTTC network and its fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) footprint with full fibre.

“NBN Co is currently engaged in consultation with internet retailers to define the process by which customers living in eligible premises currently served by FTTN or FTTC will be informed that their premises is eligible to receive higher speed services,” the company said in a statement.

Fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) premises can be upgraded to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) if customers place an order for a service of 100/20 Mbps or higher.

The qualification rules will be more strict in FTTC areas.

“Due to the faster current capabilities of FTTC, in its consultation paper to industry, NBN Co has proposed that customers living or working in premises currently served by this technology will need to order a plan based on wholesale speed tiers of 250/25 Mbps or higher to qualify for a full fibre upgrade,” the company said.

Experts say the proposed upgrades for technology deemed good enough until now, “casts doubt on the whole FTTC experiment”.