Adelaide CBD launches 10Gbps network transforming residents' connectivity options

Adelaide's fibre-optic backbone, the Ten Gigabit Adelaide network, now blankets more than 1,000 commercial buildings in the CBD and North Adelaide with symmetrical speeds up to 10Gbps. But the infrastructure that was initially pitched at tech firms and universities is quietly reshaping everyday life for residents who live above shops, work from co-working spaces, or just want to stream 4K without buffering.

The network, delivered by the City of Adelaide in partnership with TPG Telecom, offers a 10Gbps port for $399 a month (including 1Gbps internet) with free installation of access points. For context, that's around the same price some households pay for a basic NBN 50 plan plus a streaming bundle, and it's not a corporate-only product. The GigCity state government initiative further lowers the barrier: ultra-fast broadband from 1Gbps to 10Gbps is available to businesses in 21 innovation precincts from as little as $49.90 a month.

Free Wi-Fi everywhere, and it actually works

For residents who don't need a dedicated fibre line, the city's ADLFree network, powered by TPG Telecom, now covers roughly 97% of the northern CBD, South Adelaide, and North Adelaide via 251 outdoor access points. Unlike the patchy, login-walled public Wi-Fi in many global cities, ADLFree requires no password and is genuinely high-speed. That means students at the University of Adelaide campus can walk from North Terrace to Rundle Mall without losing signal, and families picnicking in Rymill Park can stream video without burning through mobile data.

The practical impact shows up in small ways. A resident living in a North Adelaide apartment who works remotely can now rely on the free outdoor network for video calls while sitting on a bench in Brougham Place, saving mobile data. A small business owner renting a co-working desk in the CBD can get symmetrical 10Gbps for $399 a month, less than the combined cost of two NBN 100 plans in some suburbs.

Beyond speed: the price that matters

The headline speeds are impressive, symmetrical 10Gbps is faster than most home Wi-Fi routers can handle, but the real story is the price floor. GigCity's $49.90-per-month entry point for gigabit connections in 21 innovation precincts is cheaper than many NBN 50 plans, and it's available to any business operating in those zones. For a sole trader running an e-commerce store from a converted bedroom in the CBD, that's a 20-fold speed increase for roughly the same monthly outlay.

The NBN remains the default for most residential and general business connections, offering 25, 50, 100 and gigabit (NBN 1000) plans over FTTP or HFC where available. But the Ten Gigabit Adelaide and GigCity networks are effectively leapfrogging the NBN in the city centre, creating a two-tier system: residents and businesses inside the 21 precincts can access world-leading speeds at commodity prices, while those just a few kilometres away are still waiting for FTTP upgrades.

City of Adelaide and TPG have funded the free installation of access points as part of the first stage of the rollout. There are currently no announced plans to extend the free Wi-Fi into remaining coverage gaps, but the 97% footprint covers the retail core and most major public spaces.