New NBN Co chief executive Ellie Sweeney says she intends to simplify the government-owned broadband network operator and will not rule out job cuts as she tries to stymie losses and make the business more efficient.

The company posted a loss of $564 million in the six months to December 31, down from a $696 million deficit in the same period one year earlier, as it cut IT, maintenance, insurance and marketing costs, raised wholesale broadband prices and reduced the number of staff to about 4200.