Major project · NBN Co Limited
National Broadband Network
Planned in 2009 as fibre to the premises; changed in 2013 to a mix of technologies. Declared built and fully operational in December 2020. Equity added since then for fibre upgrades is new work and is not included in these estimates.
- First published estimate
- $43.0bn Apr 2009
- Latest estimate
- $51.0bn Aug 2018
- Latest as a multiple of first
- 1.2× not like for like
- Expected completion
- 2020 first stated as About 2017 (eight years)
Every published estimate
Amounts are as published, in dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation. Each estimate links to its source and quotes the words containing the figure. How these are compiled.
| Date | Estimate | Covers | Completion | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2009 | $43.0bn | Fibre to the premises for 90% of homes and businesses; preliminary estimate, “up to” | About 2017 (eight years) | New National Broadband Network, Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister“The preliminary estimate is that the enhanced NBN network will cost up to $43 billion.” |
| Dec 2010 | $40.9bn | Fibre to the premises for 93%; total funding requirement, including funding costs | About 2021 (nine-and-a-half-year build) | NBN Co Corporate Plan media release, NBN Co Video“Together the equity and debt funding add to a total funding requirement of $40.9 billion including funding costs.” |
| Apr 2013 | $29.5bn | Mix of technologies (fibre to the node, existing cable and fibre to the premises): the Coalition’s policy estimate not like for like | Strategic Review of the National Broadband Network, Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for Communications, and Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance Video“A multi-technology rollout, which aligns with current Government policy, is estimated to cost $41 billion rather than the $29.5 billion estimated by the Coalition in April.” |
|
| Dec 2013 | $41.0bn | Mix of technologies, peak funding (Strategic Review) | About 2019 (six years) | Strategic Review of the National Broadband Network, Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for Communications, and Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance Video“A multi-technology rollout, which aligns with current Government policy, is estimated to cost $41 billion rather than the $29.5 billion estimated by the Coalition in April.” |
| Aug 2015 | $46.0bn–$56.0bn | Mix of technologies, peak funding (base case $49bn) | 2020 | NBN Co releases 2016 Corporate Plan, Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance, and Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for Communications“The company's MTM approach as set out in the Corporate Plan will see the network completed by 2020 with a peak funding requirement of between $46 billion and $56 billion with a base case of $49 billion.” |
| Aug 2018 | $51.0bn | Mix of technologies, peak funding, including $1bn contingency | 2020 | NBN Co Corporate Plan 2019-22, NBN Co“Peak funding is estimated within the range outlined in the previous Corporate Plan at $51 billion, inclusive of $1 billion contingency to accommodate for any risks in the complex final stages of the build.” |
Government funding in the 2026-27 Budget
- NBN investment: $902m net paid out in 2026-27
These are loans and equity, which are not counted as expenses. Loans and investments.
Related pages
- Department of Finance
- Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
- NBN CO LIMITED (contracts as a supplier on AusTender)