National Broadband Network hits a high note in Coffs Harbour

NBN opens arts opportunities for the one in three Australians who live in regional, rural and remote parts of the country, says Opera Australia

Coffs Harbour today became the first city in the NSW Mid North Coast to switch on to the National Broadband Network.

NBN fibre now covers more than 2,600 homes and businesses in West Coffs Harbour centered on Bray Street.

Construction work has already commenced for a further 24,800 premises in Coffs, Korora, Sapphire Beach,  North Boambee Valley, Boambee, Boambee East, Toormina and Sawtell with the roll out set to be complete by 2021.*

NBN Co Lead Community Account Manager Darren Rudd said:

"It's not just faster speeds but what they can enable that makes the NBN such an exciting prospect for people in Coffs Harbour and the whole Mid North Coast," Mr Rudd said.

"People can work from home like they would from the office; get all the family online at once and stream TV over the internet without all that stuttering and buffering.**

"Just as importantly, services over the NBN fibre network are available at a price less than you might think and can also offer superfast speeds and greater bandwidth," he said.

NBN opens up opportunities for the arts

Students from the Coffs Regional Conservatorium of Music and Sawtell Public School were offered a glimpse of the potential of the NBN this morning when they participated in a live, two-way high definition video conference with the Sydney Opera House.

Australian Opera diva Taryn Fiebig beamed into the Coffs Harbour Showground, via an iPrimus service over the NBN.

Ms Fiebig put the children through their paces with a series of singing scales and an aria from Mozart's Don Giovanni, which will be performed in Coffs Harbour in June.

Lesley Schoer from the Coffs Regional Conservatorium says the NBN will open up opportunities for students to get access to the best in the world and increase the quality of their work.

"Seeing students from the Conservatorium use the NBN today has shown me how great it can be for the children we work with teaching music and performance," Ms Schoer said.

Artistic Director of Opera Australia Lyndon Terracini says, "Opera Australia is very excited about the rollout of the NBN. We already actively embrace new technologies in many ways, including in our stage designs and live broadcasts.

"The NBN will enable us to explore new ways of communicating with regional Australia, bringing the wonderful world of opera directly into people's homes," he said.

Praise for Coffs' NBN preparations

"Coffs Harbour City Council and the RDA should be praised for its ongoing efforts to realise the opportunity of being an early NBN location," Mr Rudd said

"Their Switched On Coffs strategy offers a guide to other regional centres about how they too can plan for economic diversification and transformation enabled by better broadband connectivity.

"Part of their strategy was the development and staging of the Coffs Harbour Digital Expo, which was the first of its kind and is now in its third year," he said.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:       

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Mobile 0427 957 393

Press Office
02 9213 2338

Notes to Editors

• Five phone companies and internet service providers are ready to sign up Coffs Harbour families and businesses to services over the NBN. They are iPrimus, iiNet, Internode, Telstra and Westnet.

• Residents and businesses can access a list of phone or internet service providers in each area at nbnco.com.au/switch or by calling 1800 OUR NBN (1800 687 626).

* Construction commences when NBN Co issues contract instructions to its contractors for a Fibre Service Access Module (FSAM)

** Your experience depends on some factors outside our control, like your equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how your service provider designs its network

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