nbn® Australia is the state-owned corporation that designs, builds, and operates Australia's National Broadband Network, the country's first wholesale-only, open-access broadband infrastructure. Established in 2009 and wholly owned by the Australian Government, NBN Co functions as a Government Business Enterprise accountable to the Minister for Communications and the Minister for Finance. The organization operates as a neutral wholesale provider, enabling retail service providers to deliver high-speed internet services to homes and businesses across the country - a model that positions the network as critical national infrastructure underpinning Australia's digital economy.
The network spans the entire continent, from metropolitan centers to regional and remote areas, using a multi-technology approach that includes fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), fibre-to-the-node (FTTN), fixed wireless communications, and satellite services. This technical mix addresses the geographic challenges of delivering connectivity across Australia's vast and varied terrain. NBN Co continues active network development, with ongoing upgrade and expansion programs focused on enhancing broadband capacity and speeds for eligible premises through fibre expansion initiatives.
As a wholesale-only operator managing telecommunications infrastructure at national scale, NBN Co's security posture directly affects the resilience and availability of broadband services for millions of Australians. The organization's technical domains span network design, construction, and operations across fiber networks, wireless systems, and satellite communications - all requiring robust security architecture to protect against threats targeting critical infrastructure. Led by CEO Ellie Sweeney, the company operates under a public-service mission to deliver reliable, fast, resilient, and secure broadband, with security considerations embedded in the operational requirements of maintaining a network that serves as the backbone for an entire nation's digital connectivity.