NBN Co announces new rollout plan

The builders of the National Broadband Network have named 460 suburbs and towns across the country where construction is due to begin by mid-2016.

Nearly two million homes are expected to be connected to the NBN by the end of 2017. (NBN Co.)

Nearly two million homes are expected to be connected to the NBN by the end of 2017. (NBN Co.)

 
NBN Co. says the rollout across 1.9 million homes and businesses will feature a mix of technologies including the government's cheaper fibre-to-the-node option, and the previous Labor government's fibre-to-the-premises method.
 
"We have to get to the whole country by 2020. That's every premise connected," NBN Co. spokesman Darren Rudd said.
 
"It's a very complex, large country to navigate. Some people are in the announcement today, some obviously are not. But we'll work through it and get everyone connected."
 
Since the rollout began four years ago, just over 300,000 premises have been connected to the NBN.
 
By the end of 2017, New South Wales is due to receive 659,000 connections. More than Queensland (379,000) and Western Australia (240,000) combined.
 
Victoria will connect 286,000 premises, 161,000 for South Australia, 106,000 for Tasmania, 25,000 for the Northern Territory and 57,000 for the ACT.
 
The fibre-to-the-node option sees copper lines from multiple premises hooked up to a single source of fast broadband. 
 
In areas where it isn't suitable, a fibre directly running into premises or their garages could be used; options some internet analysts still hold reservations about.
 
"While we do have a short-to-medium term plan with fibre-to-the-node, is it going to last and how long will it last before it needs to be replaced?" asked George Fong from the Internet Society of Australia.
 
"Are we taking a cheaper route, if you like, that's gonna cost us more in the future?"
 
NBN Co. said it has thought about future upgrades but until now getting the engineering right and understanding Australia's appetite for faster broadband has been a steep learning curve.
 
Sam Halcrow, who runs an internet advertising company in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta, said the wait for the NBN rollout has been taking its toll.
 
"I think it's a bit poor considering the size of Parramatta," he said. "It's already been rolled out to lot of other subrubs, which are more residential. I think Parramatta should be more of a priority."
 
NBN Co's plan is also reliant on an agreement with Telstra surrounding the use of its copper network, which is due to be finalised and announced by the end of the year.
 
 

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