ACT's first urban NBN fibre optic cable installed

Super fast broadband for Gungahlin a step closer

The National Broadband Network rollout continues to gain momentum with construction crews today hauling the first NBN fibre optic cable in an established urban area in the Australian Capital Territory.

The NBN distribution fibre, which links an exchange at Mitchell to homes and businesses in Gungahlin, was hauled today at Haystack Crescent in Palmerston.

“Today's construction activity shows work is underway to provide super fast broadband to homes and businesses in parts of Gungahlin by the end of this year,” NBN Co spokesperson Darren Rudd said today.

“The fibre hauling marks another important step in the rollout of the NBN, which is picking up speed in Australia's capital city.

“Construction work has already commenced on rolling out the NBN to around 15,000 homes and businesses in the ACT, including 2,700 premises in parts of Gungahlin.

“And construction is set to have commenced or be completed for around 135,000 homes and businesses across the Territory by mid-2015.

“In parts of Gungahlin we're aiming for construction to wrap up at the end of the year, which means home and business owners are expected to be able to connect to services over the NBN shortly after, including the main business and shopping precinct.

“In addition to the work underway to connect parts of Gungahlin town centre, work is under planning or construction in the following suburbs: Amaroo; Ngunnawal; Franklin; Harrison; Mitchell; Nicholls; Palmerston and Watson. NBN Co is aiming for construction in those suburbs to be completed during 2013.

“We plan to connect every home, school and workplace in Australia to the NBN within the next decade with a combination of fibre, fixed wireless and satellite technologies. Better broadband won't just help deliver a step change in the way we work, it will have an impact on the way we structure our leisure time too,” Mr Rudd said.

Once a street has access to the NBN, home and business owners are able to contact their telephone or internet service provider to see how they can get connected to services over the NBN.

Retail prices for NBN fibre plans based on 12/1Mbps or 25/5Mbps wholesale services* are comparable to existing ADSL2+ packages.

MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Holly Hearne
Phone: 02 8918 8408
Mobile: 0427 957 393

Notes to Editors

• NBN Co plans to rollout fibre optic broadband designed to offer its Retail Service Provider customers wholesale speeds of up to 100 megabits per second* to 93 per cent of Australian premises by 2021.
• The remaining 7 per cent of premises are expected to receive high-speed broadband via fixed-wireless or satellite, with the rollout of both services expected to be complete by 2015.
• NBN Co is rolling out the fibre network in a series of modules, each of which passes around 2500-3000 premises. NBN Co will generally continue construction of new modules adjacent to existing construction locations until the entire fibre footprint in an area has been completed.
• For more information visit www.nbnco.com.au

* NBN Co is designing the NBN to be capable of delivering these speeds to NBN Co's wholesale customers (telephone and internet service providers). Speeds actually achieved by retail customers (end users) will depend on a number of factors including the quality of their equipment and in-premises connection, the broadband plans offered by their service provider and how their service provider designs its network to cater for multiple end users.

Source: NBN Co Corporate Plan (published 6 August 2012), analysis based on RSPs published pricing as at June 2012, reflecting circa ~90% of market share.

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