GlobalData forecasts about 1 per cent annual growth in Australian fixed internet revenue

Australia's fixed internet services revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of about 1 per cent from 2026 to 2031, according to GlobalData. The research firm said the growth is mainly supported by steady increases in fibre broadband and fixed wireless access (FWA) lines. The projection comes from GlobalData's Australia Fixed Services Forecast (Q2-2026).

Cable internet services are expected to decline over the period as legacy infrastructure is decommissioned and migrated to fibre under NBN Co's network modernisation work, the forecast says. GlobalData telecom analyst Neha Mishra said fibre would remain the leading fixed broadband technology, driven by demand for high-speed services and efforts by government and providers to improve fibre infrastructure. GlobalData pointed to a joint investment by NBN Co and the Australian Government of about A$3.8 billion to provide upgrade paths for remaining Fibre to the Node premises. That program is expected to benefit about 622,000 homes and businesses, with more than 95 per cent of the premises eligible for a full fibre upgrade by 2030. About 577,000 premises are in detailed design, and about 254,000 of those are under construction, of which about 91,000 are eligible for the full fibre upgrade. GlobalData also said over 11 million households and businesses are expected to be able to access multi-gigabit speeds by December 2030.

FWA lines are forecast to grow at a 4 per cent compound annual rate over 2026-2031. GlobalData attributed this to continued 5G expansion, wider availability of high-speed wireless and demand from households and small businesses that want faster broadband without a fixed-line connection.

Telstra led the fixed broadband market in 2025 and is expected to keep its lead through 2031, backed by its position in fibre and its focus on FTTH/B rollout, according to the forecast. The telco is adding up to 20,000km of new route sheaths to its national fibre network by 2027. In 2025 it completed a 5,000km intercity network, rebranded as the Aura network, connecting Sydney and Canberra. In October 2025 it began a 14,000km coastal route from Sydney to Melbourne, which is expected to be operational by 2027.

Mishra said the market was moving from legacy transition to infrastructure monetisation. She said future revenue acceleration "hinges on high-margin enterprise services, automated network slicing via 5G FWA, and premium smart-home bundles that transform enhanced fiber capacity into sustained digital ecosystem growth."