A new timetable for the National Broadband Network (NBN) is ambitious but achievable, the Federal Government says.

Key points: New NBN timetable now online

New NBN timetable now online Plan details full list of communities where work is scheduled to begin in next 3 years

Plan details full list of communities where work is scheduled to begin in next 3 years Plan estimates 2.6 million premises will be connected by June 2016

Plan estimates 2.6 million premises will be connected by June 2016 Government says plan achievable because of multi-technology mix approach

The full list of communities where work is scheduled to begin over the next three years has been published this morning.

NBN is promising up to 9.5 million homes and businesses will either be connected or have construction underway by September 2018.

There are currently 1.3 million available connections and 600,000 activated customers.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the roll-out would still be faster and cheaper than Labor's initial proposal.

"It is a fast roll-out, it is an ambitious roll-out," he said.

Sorry, this video has expired NBN boss Bill Morrow on the roll-out plan

"It has to be to achieve the objective of nationwide roll-out by 2020."

The Federal Government said it would be able to achieve the objective by using a mix of technologies, including Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and existing hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) networks.

Mr Fifield said NBN would be able to connect more than 3 million customers who are already connected by HFC, following a number of upgrades.

"This is one of the reasons why the Coalition can complete the NBN much faster and at lower cost than the Labor party, because we're using this fabulous network which is already there through the HFC."

Telstra sold its HFC systems to NBN for $11 billion after the deal was approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in June.

The HFC network still needs to be upgraded and integrated into the rest of the NBN.

Labor had proposed all-fibre network

The former Rudd government proposed an all-fibre network, which was dumped by the Coalition when it won office in 2013.

Critics warn Australia's internet speeds risk falling behind the rest of the world if not enough premises are connected by fibre optic cable.

Number of premises with NBN access or construction underway by September 2018: 2.8 million in NSW

2.8 million in NSW 2.5 million in Victoria

2.5 million in Victoria 1.9 million in Queensland

1.9 million in Queensland 970,000 in Western Australia

970,000 in Western Australia 750,000 in South Australia

750,000 in South Australia 104,500 in Tasmania

104,500 in Tasmania 72,000 in the Northern Territory

72,000 in the Northern Territory 134,000 in the ACT (Source: Office of Communications Minister)

Mr Fifield said the Government remained "agnostic" about the mix of technology it will use.

"Because the NBN isn't fixated on a particular technology, there's the flexibility to vary the balance between the different technology types if that proves to be the most cost effective way to deliver the NBN and if it proves to be the best way to deliver it fast," he said.

"With the multi-technology mix approach of the Coalition, Australians nation-wide will get the NBN six to eight years sooner than they would have under the Labor party and at a cost of $20-30 billion less."

The NBN's corporate plan shows peak funding for the project is likely to reach between $46 billion and $56 billion.

It hopes to complete the project by 2020.

Tasmania is set to be the first state to be fully connected by September 2018, followed by the Northern Territory.

The full timetable is available on the NBN website.