NBN update – first release sites announced
You might recall our look at the National Broadband Network (NBN) as part of the March Westnet Newsletter, when we gave you a quick rundown on the Federal Government’s plans to provide all Australians with access to super-fast broadband over the next eight years.
If you’ve seen or heard news of the latest developments in the NBN roll out, you’ll be up to date on the first mainland release sites announced last week. Yes, planning and design for the provision of fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) broadband to the first 3000 homes across mainland Australia has begun.
The selected sites are:
- A section of Brunswick, Melbourne
- Inner Townsville, covering parts of Aitkenvale and Mundingburra
- Coastal communities in Minnamurra and Kiama Downs, south of Wollongong
- An area of west Armidale, NSW (including the University of New England)
- The rural town of Willunga in South Australia
Once NBN Co’s design and testing phases are complete, a number of steps in the construction side of things will need to be completed before Internet Service Providers are engaged to bring the service to broadband users.
It’s important to remember the NBN is still in its very early stages, so there is still a great deal of work to be done before householders can make use of the new broadband technology.
Construction work is scheduled to begin in the latter part of this year, which will involve the supply of fibre-optic cabling and active network equipment to bring the fibre ‘to life’. Only then can the system can be adequately tested by broadband retailers and plans put in place to get the end product to consumers.
This first release is aiming for completion at the start of 2011, but you’ll find more information on all the latest NBN developments – including site maps – at the NBN Co website.
Posted by josh.nicholson
August 6th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Not one hint so far as to the cost! This is the most important part.
August 6th, 2010 at 7:41 am
There has been a lot of talk about how good it’s all going to be, but I have seen nothing about pricing.
I am currently using your Bundled Broadband1 Option 3 which provides me with far more facility than I ever expect to need.
What is the NBN going to do for me, and at what cost ?
Your advices would be appreciated.
Thanking you.
Chris Lovelock.
August 6th, 2010 at 8:53 am
At present a standard landline phone operates purely through the Telstra cables – without the need for electric power. I’m informed that once the NBN fibre optic system comes in, that will depend on electricity. If that’s correct, what happens to a NBN landline phone connection when there is a power outage?
August 6th, 2010 at 9:50 am
All that is very well but we have not yet heard HOW MUCH IT WILL COST THE USER! It is an immensely expensive initiative and we have not hear much about alternative options.
August 6th, 2010 at 10:39 am
Dear Westnet,
I have a couple of questions.
1) How much will monthly access to the NBN cost the end user? Remember- as tax payers we have/will already have paid/be paying for the establishment of the service. Will we be slugged twice??
2) The only piece of info I have been able to find regarding cost to end user is: “align with global standards and proven technology – to ensure competitive vendor pricing and minimise technology risk/risk of stranded assets”. Talk about making jelly stick to the wall!!
3) Will independant ISP’s, such as Westnet, be automatically granted access to the NBN???
Kind regards,
John.
PS did anyone else notice that two of the initial 5 locations to be connected are in NSW???????
August 6th, 2010 at 11:03 am
It would be nice to have a good delivery system to start with. In my street which is not very long, we are talking anbout twenty houses, telstra sublet cable replacement. The whole street bar my house and my next dor neibour was replaced, I have queried Telstra with why we were left out and the reply was they had underesitimated the job and the contractor ran out of cable. We both would be connected with optical fibre in the near futer this was three years ago. I do not trust them to do a proper job
August 6th, 2010 at 11:30 am
How is all this super fast broadband going the help those who will never get fibre-optic cabling ? Will the Government give us a cheaper
internet sevice , or is the bush destined to become the ‘3rd world’ of Australia ?
August 8th, 2010 at 11:17 am
It should be noted that this NBN Rollout will STOP if BigEars, and the Liberals get Elected, Be afraid Be very afraid.
August 12th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Hi everyone – thanks for the feedback.
A few queries have surrounded the cost for consumers as part of the NBN.
NBN Co has made it clear it will promote a competitive market to give consumers the best possible choice.
A word from their website:
“The National Broadband Network will:
* support differentiation and innovation by RSPs by providing an experience as close as possible to owning their own network
* support healthy retail competition by ensuring the product set does not favour a small number (or one) player
* promote maximum end-user choice in terms of both services and providers
* allow secure, simultaneous delivery of multiple applications, potentially by multiple RSPs, with predictable levels of quality.”
Residents in the Tasmanian towns part of the very first NBN roll out currently pay between $29.95/month for speeds of 25Mbs and $59.95/month for speeds of 100Mbs through three Retail Service Providers (RSPs). That in mind, a national roll out should see more RSPs become involved in providing the service – which will give consumers access to a very competitive market.
As mentioned in an earlier NBN article, details/legislation is still to be finalised, so we’ll wait for advancements and let you know as they come in.
Thanks again,
Josh Nicholson
Westnet Newsletter
August 12th, 2010 at 11:29 am
Hi there,
I’ve dug a little deeper into this for you.
The issue centres around the use of a Network Termination Unit or NTU. This device terminates an individual fibre optic cable and separates out the individual services being subscribed for (telephone, high speed broadband, IPTV etc.)
Here’s what the Tasmanian arm of NBN Co has to offer:
“The NTU is supplied with a 240-volt regulated power supply. You can purchase and install a back-up battery to minimise the risk of interruption to the telephone service when there is a power failure.
Once the battery is installed and charged, the NTU will remain operational for up to 4 hours in the event of a power outage. Unless a battery is installed and maintained by you or your retail service provider you will not be able to make or receive any phone calls, including calls to emergency 000 services, during a power failure.
Additionally, if you use a 240 volt powered phone, like most cordless phones, and there is a power failure, you will not be able to make or receive calls, regardless of whether you have installed a backup battery or not.
For this reason it’s always a good idea to install and maintain a backup battery and have a traditional (unpowered) handset on hand for emergencies.”
Hope this helps,
Regards,
Josh Nicholson
Westnet Newsletter
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