NBN rollout builds momentum across rural and regional Australia

An additional 11,900 more homes, farms and businesses across Australia can now switch to the National Broadband Network (NBN) after services recently went live across 42 rural and regional communities.

Construction has also commenced to extend the network to a further 12,400 more homes, farms and businesses across 60 communities which will be able to connect to the NBN in the coming 12 months.

This continues the momentum of the NBN rollout with the national footprint now covering more than 146,000 farms, homes and businesses across rural and regional Australia.

NBN Co spokesperson, Tony Gibbs said:

“The rollout of the NBN is gaining momentum across the country, providing homes and businesses with access to internet speeds and bandwidth that many in the big cities take for granted.

“The NBN also helps create many economic and social opportunities for country communities.  It can help residents access e-health services, distance education and entertainment on demand, whilst businesses have the ability to increase productivity, reduce costs and access new markets,” Mr Gibbs said.

Below outlines the rural and regional communities where the NBN became ready for service and commenced construction.

New communities where the NBN is now ready for service

State	Region	Parts of towns covered
New South Wales	Central West	Summer Hill Creek, Cargo, Cudal, Canowindra (surrounds), Eugowra, Gooloogong
	New England	Manilla (surrounds), Barraba, Gilgai, Inverell (surrounds)
	Murray	Jindera
	Northern Rivers	Alstonville (surrounds), Dalwood, Meerschaum Vale, Tuckombil, Tregeagle, Woodburn (surrounds), Goolmangar, South Gunderimba
	Mid-North Coast	Eungai Creek
Queensland	South East	Mapleton (surrounds), North Arm, Browns Creek, Cooloolabin, Eumundi West, Pomona (surrounds), Black Mountain (surrounds), Cooroy (surrounds), Tinbeerwah West, Toogoolawah (surrounds)
	Wide Bay Burnett	Gayndah (surrounds)
	North Queensland	Inkerman
South Australia	Murray and Mallee	Mannum (surrounds)
	Limestone Coast	Penola (surrounds

Victoria	Loddon Mallee	Elphinstone, Taradale
	Grampians	Haven
	Gippsland	Yanakie
Western Australia	Wheatbelt	Beverley (surrounds), Narrogin (surrounds), Williams
Tasmania	Northern	Elizabeth Town
Estimated total number of premises covered:		11,900

 

New communities where construction has begun

State	Region	Parts of towns covered
New South Wales	Central West	Perthville, Lyndhurst, Dunedoo, Lightning Ridge (surrounds)
	Mid-North Coast	Copmanhurst, Grafton (surrounds), Woodford Island, Sapphire Beach (surrounds)
	Murray	Tocumwal (surrounds), Walla Walla
	Northern Rivers	Duranbah
Queensland	Far North	Bramston Beach, Paddy’s Green, Julatten
	Wide Bay-Burnett	Cordalba, Buxton, Dundowran
	South East	Bli Bli (surrounds)
	Darling Downs	Ravensbourne
Victoria	North East	Chiltern (surrounds), Rutherglen (surrounds), Yackandandah, Mansfield (surrounds), Merrijig, Springhurst, Glenrowan, Milawa, Wangaratta (surrounds)
	Murray	Yarrawonga (surrounds), Baranduda (surrounds)
	South West	Caramut, Port Fairy (surrounds), Tower Hill, Woolsthorpe
	Northern	Kurting, Lockington
	Grampians	Streatham, Warracknabeal (surrounds)
	Greater Melbourne	Bayles
South Australia	Yorke Peninsula	Bute, Price, Port Rickaby, Hardwicke Bay, Point Turton
	Yorke and Mid North	Crystal Brook (surrounds), Port Wakefield, Brinkworth
	Murray and Mallee	Kingston on Murray, Mount McKenzie, Swan Reach
	Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island	Penneshaw, American River, Kingscote (surrounds)
	Barossa	Nuriootpa (surrounds)
Western Australia	Greater Southern	Cranbrook, Shadforth
	South West	North Greenbushes, Ambergate
Tasmania	Northern	Swansea (surrounds), Lilydale
Estimated total number of premises covered:		12,400

 

Media enquiries

NBN Co Media Hotline
P: 02 9927 4200
E: media@nbnco.com.au

Notes to editors

• Residents can check if their home or business is in an NBN coverage area at nbnco.com.au/maps. Connect in just three easy steps to start enjoying the benefits of high speed broadband:

Step 1: Order a service

o    Contact your preferred telephone company or internet service provider to order a service over the NBN.

Step 2: Installation

o    Your service provider will arrange an appointment for NBN Co to test your premises and, if successful, install an outdoor antenna on your roof and a connection box inside your home at the same time – both are currently free of charge for a standard installation.

Step 3: Connect to the NBN

o    Once installed, within 24 hours residents should be able to connect their service provider’s modem to the internal NBN Connection Box to begin experiencing the many benefits of fast broadband.  For further details on connecting to the NBN fixed wireless network, visit: www.nbnco.com.au/fixed-wireless

• NBN Co’s fixed wireless facilities are designed to service less densely populated communities across Australia such as small towns and villages and the outer surrounds of major townships.
• NBN Co’s fixed wireless service offers wholesale download speeds of up to 25 megabits per second and wholesale upload speeds of up to five megabits per second to telephone and internet service providers.
• End user experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the NBN, depends on some factors outside NBN Co’s control like equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how the end user’s service provider designs its network.
• Fixed wireless services are delivered by radio communications via antennas that transmit a signal direct to a small outdoor antenna on your home or business.
• Before the network equipment is installed a service validation test will be carried out.  Those premises which are unable to be served by fixed wireless may be able to receive NBN Co’s long term satellite service when it becomes available.  Visit www.nbnco.com.au/satellite for more information.
• In fixed wireless areas copper phone lines will remain in place to provide a landline telephone service, if the end user chooses to use it.
• A standard installation of NBN equipment is currently free of charge. Residents should ask their preferred service provider if they have any other fees.
• Figures referenced in this release relate to the NBN Co’s fixed wireless rollout.
• Premises activated as reported in the NBN Rollout information weekly summary – www.nbnco.com.au/weeklyprogressreport