I’ve written sceptically about NBN announcements before. Too many press releases, not enough actual fibre in the ground. But the Horsham upgrade happening right now is the real thing—crews are actually working, and connections are going live.

For a town that’s been making do with barely adequate internet, this changes things.

What’s Being Installed

NBN Co is upgrading the Horsham CBD and surrounding areas from Fibre to the Node (FTTN) to Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). In practical terms, the fibre that currently stops at a cabinet down the street will now run directly to individual buildings.

The upgrade covers:

• The central business district along Firebrace Street
• The industrial area near the railway line
• Parts of the residential areas closest to the CBD
• Several rural properties along the upgrade corridor

Expected completion is late March 2025, though individual connection dates vary.

Why It Matters

The difference between FTTN and FTTP isn’t just speed on paper—it’s consistency and reliability.

FTTN connections degrade with distance from the node. Businesses located far from their cabinet often get speeds well below theoretical maximums, especially during peak times.

FTTP eliminates that distance penalty. The fibre runs directly to you, delivering consistent speeds regardless of location.

For businesses, this means:

Cloud software that actually works. No more lag when multiple staff access cloud applications simultaneously.

Video conferencing you can rely on. Upload speeds improve dramatically, making video calls stable rather than frustrating.

Backup and sync options. Cloud backup becomes practical when uploading a day’s data doesn’t take all night.

Future-proofing. FTTP can support speeds far beyond current plans. The infrastructure will handle whatever comes next.

Real Business Impact

I spoke with several Horsham business owners about their current connectivity challenges.

A local accountant told me: “Tax season is brutal. Staff working remotely, clients sending documents, our software syncing constantly. The connection just can’t keep up. We’ve had to stagger when people work to avoid maxing out bandwidth.”

A retail business owner with online sales: “Every time I try to upload product photos or process orders during busy periods, everything slows to a crawl. I end up doing inventory updates at night.”

A professional services firm: “We lost a client pitch because the video call dropped out twice. Melbourne competitors don’t have that problem.”

These aren’t complaints about streaming Netflix—they’re real business limitations affecting competitiveness.

How to Get Connected

If your business is in the upgrade zone:

1. Check your address at nbnco.com.au to confirm you’re included
2. Contact your ISP to discuss upgrade options and timing
3. Review your current plan to understand what speeds become available
4. Plan for installation which may require brief service interruption

Most ISPs are offering FTTP business plans starting around $99/month for entry-level speeds, scaling up for higher bandwidth requirements.

What About Those Left Out?

Not every Horsham property is included in this upgrade. Properties further from the CBD, particularly those on fixed wireless or satellite connections, aren’t changing.

This is frustrating but reflects NBN Co’s approach—upgrades happen area by area based on various factors including business density and infrastructure economics.

For those not included:

Fixed wireless improvements are ongoing, with some areas seeing modest speed increases through equipment upgrades.

Starlink remains an option for properties where NBN performance is inadequate. I’ve written before about real-world Starlink performance—it’s worth investigating.

Mobile broadband on 4G/5G networks can be viable for some use cases, particularly where Telstra coverage is strong.

Advocacy matters. Contact your federal member, participate in NBN Co consultations, and make your connectivity challenges known. Squeaky wheels get upgrades. Regional Development Victoria also advocates for regional infrastructure improvements.

Making the Most of Better Internet

Once the upgrade is live, consider what becomes possible:

Cloud-first software: Move away from locally-installed applications to cloud versions. Better collaboration, automatic updates, accessible from anywhere.

Remote staffing: Hire talent that doesn’t live locally. Reliable connectivity makes managing remote team members practical.

Digital services: If you’ve avoided offering online services due to connectivity limits, revisit those possibilities.

Operational efficiency: Automated backups, real-time inventory sync, cloud-based point of sale—all work better with reliable high-speed internet.

The Bigger Picture

Horsham’s upgrade is part of a broader pattern. NBN Co is systematically upgrading regional business districts as the political and economic case becomes clearer.

Reliable internet isn’t a luxury—it’s infrastructure as fundamental as roads and electricity. Regional businesses can’t compete with metropolitan counterparts while handicapped by inadequate connectivity.

This upgrade puts Horsham businesses on more equal footing. What they do with that opportunity is up to them.

For those waiting elsewhere in the Wimmera and Grampians, keep watching. What happens in Horsham often predicts what’s coming to similar towns. Your upgrade might be next.