General Overview

• What is the School Student Broadband Initiative?

  The School Student Broadband Initiative is an Australian Government program to support students that do not have access to home internet (broadband).

  To boost education opportunities and help narrow the digital divide the Australian Government has asked nbn to implement the School Student Broadband Initiative, providing up to 30,000 eligible families and carers across Australia with school age children with free nbn-powered broadband internet at home until 31 December 2025#.

  Eligible parents and carers have until 31 December 2024 to register for School Student Broadband Initative and sign up with a participating internet provider.

  #Subject to continued involvement in School Student Broadband Initiative of participating internet providers beyond the previously announced deadlines and provided the cap of 30,000 School Student Broadband Initiative services has not yet been reached.

• Who is responsible for the SSBI initiative?

  To support students that do not have access to internet at home, the Australian Government has committed to the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI).

  The Australian Government has asked nbn to implement the Government’s Initiative to provide internet access, via participating internet service providers delivered over nbn’s wholesale broadband network.

• What’s included in the School Student Broadband Initiative offer?
  • Free nbn home internet via a participating School Student Broadband Initiative internet provider until 31 December 2025 – with no lock in or rollover contract
  • Free Wi-Fi router – (that does not have to be returned)
  • Unlimited data
  • 50/20 plan
• What is a 50/20 plan?

  The goal is for all School Student Broadband Initiative households on Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre to the Basement (FTTB) and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) technology, to be provided with a broadband service based on nbn’s 50/20 wholesale speed tier. This means that during peak usage periods, the wholesale download speed should be around 50 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds ranging from 5 -20 Mbps. Note, these are wholesale speed tiers.

  An end customer’s experience, including the speeds achieved over the nbn network, depends on the nbn access technology and configuration over which services are delivered to the customer’s premises, whether the customer is using the internet during the busy period, and some factors outside of nbn’s control (like the customer’s equipment quality, software, chosen broadband plan or how their provider designs its network).

• Are devices included in the School Student Broadband Initiative offer?

  Devices such as phone, tablets or computers are not included as part of School Student Broadband Initiative. A router/modem will be provided to families by their chosen participating internet provider to connect them to the nbn network.

• What happens at the end of 2025?

  When signing up for School Student Broadband Initiative there are no lock-in or automatic rollover contracts. At the end of 2025, your School Student Broadband Initiative service will end. You will not be automatically rolled over to a paid plan. Closer to the end of 2025 your chosen internet provider will get in touch with you to provide further information.

How to Qualify

• Do I qualify for the School Student Broadband Initiative?

  To qualify you must:

  • Have a school age student at home (full or part time) enrolled in an Australian school (up to year 12 including Prep in Qld/Vic/Tas, Kindergarten in NSW, Reception in SA, Transition in NT/ACT and Pre-Primary in WA).
  • Not have an active nbn® network internet service at your current residential address now or in the past 14 days. (Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility. )
  • Live in a premise that can access the nbn network through a standard connection.

  A small number of premises located in Limited Access Areas (any area within the footprint of the Satellite Network that cannot reasonably be accessed by road and would require some element of air or water transportation) are ineligible to access the School Student Broadband Initiative program.

• What do I have to do to get free home internet until 31 December 2025?

  Families and carers who think they may qualify for the School Student Broadband Initiative should follow these 3 simple steps:

  • Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT), anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet. Callback, webchat and interpreting services also available.
  • Check if you qualify – the National Referral Centre team will check your residential address and ask you some basic questions to determine if you meet the Government’s eligibility criteria.
  • If you qualify, you will be issued a voucher which can be redeemed at any of the participating internet The National Referral Centre will also be available to assist with contacting your chosen internet provider or providing follow-up support.
• Can anyone join the SSBI Program?

  The SSBI program is primarily intended as an affordability measure to help those with school-aged children who may be experiencing financial hardship.

  There are some very remote areas within the nbn satellite footprint that are excluded from participating in School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) due to operational and access difficulties as well as commercial factors. These are areas where nbn cannot access by road to connect the customer or to provide maintenance services.

• Can a family struggling to pay the cost of their existing home internet be involved?

  To qualify for the School Student Broadband Initiative, families and carers must not have had an active nbn home internet connection in the previous 14 days at their current residential address. If you access the internet via another form of internet connectivity, such as 4G or 5G wireless services over mobile devices, you may still qualify (if you meet the other eligibility criteria).

• What if my child doesn’t live with me permanently?

  To qualify for the School Student Broadband Initiative a family, parent, carer or guardian must be caring for a child within their home – full or part-time, who is enrolled in an Australian school. This includes:

  • Temporary care or non-permanent living arrangements
  • Shared household arrangements (e.g. separated parents or living with grandparents)
  • Kinship care arrangements
• Why can I not join the SSBI Program if I recently disconnected an active service?

  To ensure spots on the program go where they are most needed, there are a number of eligibility criteria, which include not having an active nbn connection in the previous 14 days.

  If you have any questions regarding your suitability for the program, please contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 or www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet

• What about other students who may not live at home?

  The School Student Broadband Initiative is for school age children in year levels K-12.

  Students under the age of 18 living independently may qualify, however, an adult is required to engage in the application and connection process. This means being present on a call with the National Referral Centre for the qualifying checks, when signing up with a chosen internet provider, and for any equipment installation at their residence.

• How do I use the nbn website address checker to check if my home is connected to the nbn network?

  To self-check if your address is connected to the nbn network

  1. Go to: nbnco.com.au
  2. Type your address into Check Your Address
  3. If the result shows:
     1. Check with your phone and internet provider about ordering an nbn® powered plan –
        You are not currently connected to nbn but can and may be eligible for the SSBI
     2. You are connected to the nbn® network –
        You are already connected to the nbn network and are not eligible for the SSBI
     3.  Any other message –
        This location is not eligible for the SSBI as nbn does not service this address.

  Note: the internet providers displayed are not the same list as the internet providers participating in SSBI

• Will a family or student be required to provide identification?

  Internet providers will have identification requirements. Identification may be required by internet providers to confirm the name of the account holder and the address where the internet service is to be provided.

  Callers to the National Referral Centre will be assessed for eligibility however provision of student identification is not required.

• Can a premises be in an nbn area but deemed too expensive for nbn to connect?

  There are some very remote areas within the nbn satellite footprint that will be excluded from participating in School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) due to operational and access difficulties as well as commercial factors. These are areas where nbn cannot access by road to connect the customer or to provide maintenance services.

• What about other students who may not live at home, are enrolled in TAFE, or other similar situations?
  • Adolescent student living away from home and enrolled in a school or alternative vocational pathway – eligible, so long as an adult is able to deal with nbn, internet provider, and Referral Centre when an application for the program is being made or assessed and connections are being installed at the premises.
  • Adult/s (>18 years of age) enrolled in school and undertaking year 11/12 or equivalent – eligible.
  • Adolescent student enrolled in school and undertaking formal vocational education at an appropriately established and registered institution (i.e., TAFE) – eligible, so long as an adult is able to deal with nbn, internet provider, and Referral Centre when an application for the program is being made or assessed and connections are being installed at the premises.
  • Adolescent student undertaking relevant State Department of Education approved home schooling – eligible, so long as an adult is able to deal with nbn, internet provider, and Referral Centre when an application for the program is being made or assessed and connections are being installed at the premises.

  • Adolescent student undertaking paid apprenticeship or formal vocational education and not enrolled in school – ineligible.

Contacting the National Referral Centre

• What is the National Referral Centre?

  Access to the SSBI has become easier, with the launch of a National Referral Centre (NRC). Families with school aged students living at home can contact the NRC directly to check their eligibility.

  Parents/guardians can contact the NRC directly to check their eligibility and access the Initiative, which provides free broadband to eligible families for one year.

  When a parent/guardian contacts the NRC, they will check eligibility and support the family to get connected through a participating internet provider.

  This approach allows parents/guardians to self-nominate, rather than rely on being identified by a SSBI nominating organisation. We want to make it as easy as possible for families that need this support to access the free service.

  Existing nominating organisations can continue to refer families to the SSBI.

• Who is running the National Referral Centre?

  After a thorough expression of interest and assessment process, Anglicare Victoria was awarded the contract to run the National Referral Centre.

  Although Anglicare Victoria is a state-based organisation, it can be contacted by anyone in Australia  interested in accessing the SSBI offer.

• What to expect when you contact the National Referral Centre?

  The call will take about 20 minutes. To help get you online as quickly as possible, please have your contact details ready – both your mobile number and an email address. If you are moving house, we will need to know the date you are moving and your new address.

  Firstly, with a member of the National Referral Centre team to confirm if you qualify and issue your free internet voucher.

  Then, around 10 minutes with your chosen internet provider who will help to get your internet connected. Wait and calls times can vary.

• What questions will the National Referral Centre ask me?
  • What is your name, home address, email address and phone number?
  • Do you have child/ren at school?
  • How many children do you have at school?
  • What type of school do they attend – Public, Catholic or Independent? (The answer to this question does not affect your eligibility).
  • Check your residential address and whether it is connected to a nbn service and within an area covered by the nbn network (service area).
  • In the past 12 months have you had difficulty meeting your necessary cost of living expenses like loans, power bills, health care, food or clothing?
  • How did you hear about the SSBI program?
• What services will the National Referral Centre offer?

  The National Referral Centre (NRC) is the first point of contact for both self-nominating families and Nominating Organisations.

  The NRC will:

  • Help people interested in the SSBI understand if they are eligible, issue vouchers and provide information regarding participating retail service providers.
  • Provide support to eligible people who are experiencing challenges redeeming the voucher.
  • Provide follow-up support to eligible families who have been issued a voucher. The NRC will make three attempts to contact these families to offer their assistance in getting connected.
  • Refer, where appropriate, ineligible people to other support services which may assist with financial hardship.
  • Answer and resolve queries relevant to the Initiative.

  For people from non-English speaking backgrounds, or people with accessibility challenges, the NRC can offer translation services through TIS and some of their own bi-lingual staff; and their website is equipped with ReciteMe technology: www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet

• How can I use the National Referral Centre to join the SSBI program?

  Follow these 3 simple steps:

  1. Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEST/AEDT), or visit anglicarevic.org/au/student-internet. Callback and webchat functions are also available via the website.
  2. Check your eligibility – the NRC team will help determine your eligibility and confirm your suitability for the program, by checking your residential address and asking you some questions to determine if you meet the Government’s eligibility criteria.
  3. If eligible, you will be issued a voucher which can be redeemed at any of the participating School Student Broadband Initiative internet providers. The National Referral Centre will also be available to assist with contacting your chosen internet provider or providing follow-up support.

Nominating Organisations and Internet Providers

• Do nominating organisations require family consent to support the family through the SSBI eligibility process?

  Yes. It is the responsibility of the nominating organisations (and from 9 October the National Referral Centre) to manage any relevant consent requirements. Nominating Organisations (and the NRC) who will be collecting personal information, are obliged to comply with all privacy laws.

• Who are the participating internet providers?

  As of 1 August 2024, the following internet providers are participating in the School Student Broadband Initiative offer:

  • Activ8Me (APN – providing Fixed Line, Fixed Wireless and Satellite services)
  • Aussie Broadband
  • Belong (Telstra)
  • Exetel
  • Lemonade Broadband (Brisbane only)
  • SkyMesh – providing Fixed Wireless and Satellite services
  • Superloop
  • Vodafone (TPG)

  The choice of internet provider will vary depending on where you live. Your voucher will list the internet providers available at your address.

• How can a community organisation or charity be involved in nominating families?

  The Australian Government approached a limited number of community organisations to participate, alongside education authorities in providing nominations for the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI).

  These organisations have been approached based on their:

  • National reach assisting and supporting disadvantaged children and their families,
  • Demonstrated efforts to improve digital inclusion and online learning for

  For community organisations not already involved with the program, from 9 October 2023 you can simply refer parents/carers to the National Referral Centre, who will work to assess an individual parent/carer’s eligibility.

• How are teachers informed about the initiative?

  A School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) factsheet for teachers and front-line staff has been developed in collaboration with nbn and is designed to be tailored by each Nominating Organisation. The factsheet covers eligibility criteria, how the initiative works, what steps are required to nominate a family, e-safety resources and where to find additional information on SSBI.

  These sheets are also available in nine languages: Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Karen, Punjabi, Samoan, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Tamil and Vietnamese.

• What if the community organisation or school is uncertain about a student’s/family’s eligibility?

  If an employee or staff member within a nominating organisation is uncertain about the family’s eligibility, they should check with the initiative coordinator within their organisation. Nominating Organisations will apply their judgement as to whether a candidate should be referred.

  For organisations not currently part of the program, simply refer the parent/carer to the National Referral Centre to have their eligibility assessed.

• How is personal information of families being managed?

  nbn will only receive address information from nominating organisations to check eligibility of premises. nbn does not ask for personal information about families or students as part of the initiative. Participating internet providers are expected to manage the personal information of eligible families in the same way they manage information of existing customers.

  The National Referral Centre is contractually obliged to abide by all applicable Australian Privacy laws when handling any personal information obtained as part of the eligibility assessment.

• Which organisations are Nominating Organisations as part of the program?

  The Australian Government has identified State and Territory education authorities, and a number of community organisations, to participate in the initiative.

  A list of those organisatons can be found at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications- arts/internet/national-broadband-network/school-student-broadband-initiative-ssbi

• Which organisations will be covering rural/regional/remote families?

  A list of Nominating Organisations can be found at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications-arts/internet/national-broadband-network/school-student-broadband-initiative-ssbi

  From October 9, parents/carers (including those from rural and remote areas) not currently working with an existing Nominating Organisation may self-nominate via the National Referral Centre (NRC). Eligibility rules will continue to apply, which will be determined via an assessment conducted by the NRC. The NRC can be contacted on 1800 954 610 or at www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet

Connection and troubleshooting

• Where can families receive technical support?

  Families should contact their School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) internet service provider during their service period.

• Can a family move to a new internet provider during the free internet period?

  No. A School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) home internet service is not able to be migrated or transferred to another SSBI internet provider.

  You can choose to disconnect and leave the initiative at any time within the free internet period. If you cancel, you cannot re-join later.

• What if I move home – is my voucher still valid?

  If you have used your voucher and are receiving an internet service, please contact your current School Student Broadband Initiative internet provider and let them know you are moving home. They will be able to transfer your nbn home internet to your new home (provided your new home is in a location that nbn can service via a standard connection, and your current internet provider provides nbn services at that new location). You can continue with your free service until 31 December 2025.

  If nbn can service your new home via a standard connection, but your School Student Broadband Initiative internet provider does not service that location, you should contact the National Referral Centre who will be able to help you with next steps.

  If you have a School Student Broadband Initiative voucher for your old home that you have not used, you cannot use that voucher for your new home as vouchers are linked to a specific residential address. You will need a new voucher. To receive a new voucher, you will need to contact the National Referral Centre.

• I am renting my home and I’m eligible for the SSBI offer. Is that going to be a problem?

  nbn has a detailed guide for renters who are connecting to the nbn network for the first time – please visit this website: Preparing to connect | nbn (nbnco.com.au)

• Are landline phones included in the initiative?

  The Australian Government commitment is to deliver access to one-year free nbn broadband internet. Internet providers may include landline phone services as an additional service at their discretion.

• If I have a home phone, does this mean I am connected to the nbn network?

  Not necessarily as nbn does not connect every home in Australia.

  If you are uncertain if you have your home phone connected to nbn or over the existing landline network , it is recommended you contact your phone line provider or you can follow the steps below in the FAQ ‘How do I use the nbn website address checker to check if my home is connected to the nbn network?’ to self-check. The address checker can be found on the home page at www.nbnco.com.au.

• Are internet providers required to pay the New Development charge for SSBI orders?

  nbn has a process to waive these charges so that participating internet providers, and therefore the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) families, will not be required to pay this fee.

• What happens if, when ordering a service for an eligible SSBI family, a New Development charge is applied?

  The process nbn is implementing should waive the New Development Charge before a participating internet provider places an order. If a charge is being presented to a valid School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) order, then this is an error.

  Internet providers should contact the nbn HelpDesk to assist with resolution. Nominating Organisations should contact the National Referral Centre to assist with resolution.

SSBI Extension Announcement

• What does an extension of the SSBI program mean?

  The Australian Government has announced an extension to the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI). Now, eligible parents/carers have until 31 December 2024 to nominate for the program, and free nbn home broadband is available until 31 December, 2025 regardless of when the family joined the program.# This means the sooner eligible people sign up for SSBI, the longer they can take advantage of free broadband.

• I already have an SSBI plan, am I eligible for the extension? What do I need to do? Will my internet provider let me know?

  If you already have internet services provided through the SSBI, you don’t need to do anything. Your service will be automatically updated and will continue until 31 December, 2025. #

  It is nbn’s expectation that your participating SSBI internet provider will be in contact with you to provide more details prior to the 1 year anniversary of when you connected to the SSBI program.

• What do I have to do to get free internet until 31 December, 2025?

  There are two options available:

  Option 1: contact the SSBI National Referral Centre

  Parents/carers who think they may be eligible for the School Student Broadband Initiative should follow these 3 simple steps:           

  1. Contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT), anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet. Callback and webchat functions are also available via the website. 
  2. Check your eligibility – the NRC team will assess your eligibility, by checking your residential address and asking you some questions to determine if you meet the Government’s eligibility criteria.
  3. If eligible, you will be issued a voucher which can be redeemed at any of the participating SSBI retail service providers. The National Referral Centre will also be available to assist with contacting your SSBI service provider of choice or providing follow-up support.

  To be eligible for SSBI, a family must: 

  • Have a child living at home that is enrolled in an Australian school
  • Not have an active nbn® network internet service at home. Having a mobile internet service does not affect eligibility.
  • Live in a premises that can access the nbn network through a standard connection
  • Not have had an active nbn connection during the previous 14 days.

   

  Option 2: Via a Participating Nominating Organisation=

  You may have already heard about SSBI from a charity or school – there are more than 55 nominating organisations taking part in SSBI. You can contact your organisation for further information and they will be able to explain any next steps. Nominating Organisations do not provide the SSBI internet service, but they will provide eligible families with the voucher which enables you to connect to SSBI via a participating internet provider.

• I already have a voucher for SSBI but it says it is only for 12 months?

  You may have already received a voucher for the SSBI prior to the Australian Government announcing free services would be extended until 31 December, 2025. These vouchers are valid for you to use until 31 December, 2024, and can be redeemed by calling the SSBI internet provider of your choice. Once you use the voucher you will be able to get free nbn home broadband until 31 December, 2025.#

  If you have any questions or need help and support about the initiative or in redeeming your voucher you can call the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 or visit www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet. It is important to note that there are only 30,000 places available on SSBI, and once these have been taken any unredeemed vouchers will not be able to be used.

• When will I be able to take advantage of the extended free internet through SSBI?

  Eligible parents/carers can join SSBI now. Your free nbn home broadband service will begin as soon as you are connected and remain until 31 December, 2025#. Your SSBI internet provider of choice may first put you on a 12 month plan, but this should automatically be extended until 31 December 2025.#

• What happens at the end of 2025?

  The Government is exploring options to support participating families at the end of 2025, including consideration of a discounted retail broadband plan to help keep them connected.

Other useful information

• Where can I find out more information about School Student Broadband Initiative?

  By contacting the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 or www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet

  Visiting www.nbn.com.au/ssbi

  Visiting https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/ssbi

  This is an Australian Government program that offers free home internet to families and carers who look after school age children and are struggling to pay the bills.

• Can I get School Student Broadband Initiative if I live in a remote or isolated part of Australia?

  A small number of premises located in Limited Access Areas (any area within the footprint of the Satellite Network that cannot reasonably be accessed by road and would require some element of air or water transportation) are ineligible to access the School Student Broadband Initiative program.

  nbn is working with our delivery partners and internet providers and aims to get new satellite connections on remote islands (including Torres Strait and Palm Island), delivered as soon as possible.

• Where can I find out more about eSafety and parental controls?

  Families and carers are encouraged to get information and resources to help use their home broadband connection safely from the eSafety Commission site website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

  You can also speak to your chosen internet provider about what controls you can use to keep your household safe online.

• What advice is provided regarding scams?

  Scammers may try using the School Student Broadband Initiative to impersonate a participating entity, such as NBN Co, to get your money.

  It’s important to know that you will never be contacted and asked to provide bank details or to pay money to participate in the School Student Broadband Initiative by NBN Co. If you receive a suspicious phone call, report it immediately to the ACCC’s Scamwatch website https://scamwatch.gov.au

• I need translation support – how to get this?

  For people from non-English speaking backgrounds, or people with accessibility challenges, the NRC can offer translation services through TIS and some of their own bi-lingual staff; and their website is equipped with ReciteMe technology: www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet

• How many families can be connected? Is there a limit?

  Up to 30,000 places for eligible families are available nationally and uptake will be monitored with the aim of enabling fair distribution across states and territories. Places are limited and eligible families are encouraged to activate their service as soon as possible upon receiving a voucher.

• What happens if the program reaches 30,000 connected families?

  Prior to the end of the one -year period nbn expects that the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) participating internet provider will advise the participating family of their options to stay connected. Internet providers should not automatically place families onto a paid service without their consent. The Australian Government is considering options beyond the one year free period.