Parts of Gosford have six months to make the switch to the NBN

Almost 2,000 home and business owners have connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN), one year after it was first switched on in parts of Gosford.

An estimated remaining 1,300* home and business owners in areas of Gosford have around six months before the NBN is scheduled to permanently replace most existing home and business phone, ADSL internet and Telstra cable internet services in the area when these services are officially switched off from 5 October 2014.**

NBN Co is today encouraging home and business owners in the areas scheduled for disconnection to start preparing for the NBN by contacting their preferred phone company and internet service provider to order services over the NBN as soon as possible.

NBN Co spokesperson, Darren Rudd said:

“It’s great to see parts of the community already reaping the benefits of fast broadband a year after we switched on the first areas in Gosford to the NBN.***

“We are encouraging the estimated remaining 1,300 eligible home and business owners in the area to follow their lead and put an order in with their preferred telephone company or internet service provider ahead of the scheduled copper switch off from 5 October 2014.

“In particular, we want all business owners with EFTPOS machines and fax or security alarm systems which operate using a landline connection to contact their banks and preferred phone or internet company to discuss what steps are required to migrate these services over to the NBN.”***

Shane MacPhillamy of Gosford-based BlinkMobile Interactive says since making the switch to their iiNet NBN service they have been able to keep up-to-date with the latest developments and innovations in their industry.****

“We’ve been over the moon with the way the NBN has changed our business. Having access to fast and reliable online tools are important to ensuring we maintain our growth.”****

“We’re often downloading and uploading large files to share with partners and suppliers which would have been impossible on our previous connection. We can now operate some of our core business
functions ten times faster than we could before.

“The NBN has allowed us to provide great service to clients all around the country from right here in Gosford. We look forward to other businesses on the Coast joining us on the NBN and experiencing the
benefits we are.”

The move to the NBN is not automatic – businesses will need to take the following steps:
1 – Contact:
a. If you have an EFTPOS terminal, fax or alarm system, call the provider of that service (for
example your bank) to ask what internet or phone services over the NBN will support the device.
b. If your building has an emergency lift phone and/ or a fire indicator panel you need to register
your details with NBN Co so these services can be identified by calling 1800 687 626.*****
c. Contact your preferred phone company or internet service provider and discuss your
requirements.
2 – Choose: a plan that suits your needs.
3 – Order: your service over the NBN as soon as possible to allow enough time to install and connect
the NBN equipment.

More information about the steps residents and businesses need to take to connect to the NBN as well as a list of service providers can be found at: nbnco.com.au/switch.

The first of several areas in Gosford are scheduled to be switched off from the existing copper network from 5 October 2014 with further areas to follow later in the year.

Around 2,800 additional homes and businesses across parts of three suburbs on the Central Coast are also set to receive fast broadband. The latest construction maps show the NBN will be rolled out across
new areas in:

• Tascott
• Koolewong
• Point Clare

On average it takes around 12 months from the start of construction until residents and business owners can access services over the NBN from phone and internet providers.

You can check if you are eligible to connect to the NBN by putting in your address on the NBN Co rollout map found at: nbnco.com.au/rollout/rollout-map.******

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

Media materials:
Supporting video, audio and image files can be downloaded from the below link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wq6wyht7mi0wwi4/qnv4BCfWW1

Notes to editors:

• As part of the Statement of Expectations released in April 2014, NBN Co is working to ensure all Australians have access to very fast broadband as soon as possible, at affordable prices, and at the least cost to taxpayers. The Statement allows for the NBN to be built in the most cost-effective way using the technology best matched to each area of Australia.
• The rollout maps on the NBN Co website are intended to be an accurate picture of the state of the rollout as it stands today. The maps will be updated as the shape of future rollout becomes clearer.
• People who can order a service and want to make the switch to the NBN should search ‘getting connected’ on the nbnco.com.au website.
• Areas within suburbs will have different switch off dates depending on when the NBN becomes available to their premises.
• Home and business owners who are scheduled to have their landline phone, ADSL internet and Telstra cable internet services disconnected have been sent letters from NBN Co with details about how to switch to the NBN.
• Homes and businesses that have an existing medical or security alarm systems should contact their alarm provider and phone company to enquire about their current system and how it will work over the NBN.
• NBN Co has also committed to finding a solution to connect complex premises, such as office and apartment blocks. A pilot began in December 2013 and in March 2014 internet service providers, Telstra, Optus, iiNet and M2 signed up. The first end-user orders for this pilot were recently received.
  NBN Co Limited ACN 136 533 741 © NBN Co 2014 www.nbnco.com.au
• NBN Co has also established a register to help support people who have medical alarm devices migrate successfully across to services over the National Broadband Network (NBN). Individuals using a medical alarm or alert (or a family member, carer or friend) can list a medical alarm on the NBN Co Medical Alarm Register by calling 1800 227 300 or completing the online form at: nbnco.com.au/medicalregister.

*NBN Co has a formula to estimate how many home and businesses are connected to an active copper line within the disconnection area.
**Services not replaced by the NBN include some TransACT, OptiComm, some Telstra Velocity services and others. For a full list please visit www.nbnco.com.au/switchoff or call us on 1800 687 626. Optus cable internet services may also be switched off on a different date and existing customers will be advised separately.
***Residents and businesses who have special equipment that operates using a landline connection , such as a monitored security or fire alarm, EFTPOS machine, lift phone or medical monitoring device, should contact the supplier of the device or monitoring service for further advice on what needs to be done for it to work over the NBN. For more information visit nbnco.com.au/alarms
**** NBN Co is very happy with Shane’s experience with the NBN. Of course, individual end user experiences may vary. Your experience including the speeds actually achieved over the NBN depends on some factors outside our control like your equipment quality, software, broadband plans and how your service provider designs its network.
***** Due to specific in-building cabling requirements NBN Co is working closely with industry to develop solutions to migrate emergency lift phones and fire indicator panels. These services should not be connected to the NBN until solutions are available. A register has been set up to identify where these services are located and to support continuity of service for both lift phones and fire indicator panels.
******The new rollout maps identify one or more areas where NBN Co has commenced building or intends to build the NBN. From the commencement of work through to when a construction area “goes live”, NBN Co undertakes a series of steps that may result in changes to the design of the network in the respective area, possibly involving the movement of the boundaries. NBN Co may update the map in the future in the event of boundary changes.

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