'This is paramount': Homes, businesses set for faster and more reliable internet

Up to 35,000 homes and businesses in the greater Albury-Wodonga region (including Alpine) can now connect to NBN's full fibre.

Head of nbn local NSW Tom O'Dea said the program was upgrading 50,000 Border homes and businesses to full fibre in the coming months, with work about 70 per cent complete.

"All customers need to do to check their eligibility is go to the NBN website, check their address, and then place an order when eligible with their retailer of choice," he said.

"What this upgrade allows is for more devices at home streaming at the same time, faster streaming, patches on games and downloading quicker.

"It basically improves the speed that you can do things in the home."

Glen Robinson, general manager of Albury Business Connect, said the upgrades would put businesses in Albury and Wodonga on a level playing field with those in metropolitan areas.

"For businesses, especially in our area, this is paramount," he said. "It puts the infrastructure of speed and reliability ahead of where we need to be.

"More than ever, our businesses rely on cloud-based applications. All your accounting systems, all your communications need speed and reliability, and this is the combination of both being delivered to our area."

Business NSW Murray Riverina partnerships manager Shanna McDonald said Border businesses had been crying out for better internet connection.

"(The demand) is huge," she said.

"It's such a massive impact on all businesses if there's internet out in their day-to-day running of businesses.

"If COVID taught us anything, for us here, we're now broadcasting meetings right across Australia. We do business everywhere. It's so important for us to have not just high speed, but reliable internet that's not going to cut out at any point."

Albury mayor Kylie King said the upgrade was "critical in attracting visitors and new residents to the area".

"We often talk about equity. When you get out of the capital cities ... connectivity is certainly crucial," she said.

"We know one in five people who live in a capital city want to move to a regional city like Albury and Wodonga. So you really need to have all those livability pieces that residents expect.

"And if we're trying to grow our economy sustainably over time, businesses very much are looking forward to what the infrastructure is in this city, how do I benefit and can I grow my business in the region?

"Reliable internet connection, I'd say, is crucial."