Can I connect to the NBN?
- 11 September, 2012 10:31
- Comments
With the National Broadband Network (NBN) expected to reach a peak in its rollout in 2016, some areas around Australia are already connected to the network via fibre-to-the-premises, fixed wireless and an interim satellite service.
The NBN was announced in April 2009, with an initial cost of $43 billion. The first three towns to be connected to the network were located in Tasmania, the testing ground for the network.
Trials of the network are still ongoing, with NBN Co offering a free trial of its fixed wireless network for six months from April 2012 in Armidale, Tamworth and Toowoomba.
"The trial period for the fixed wireless service is designed to verify satisfactory customer experience of the new service prior to it becoming fully commercial in October this year," NBN Co told Computerworld Australia.
While NBN Co is not charging RSPs to access the fixed wireless service, NBN Co said service providers may incur costs in setting up the retail product and it was up to individual companies as to whether these costs were passed on to customers or not. "NBN Co does not impose restrictions during the trial period on whether service providers charge end-users or not," the company said.
Computerworld Australia lists the areas where construction for the NBN has been completed and residents can sign up for NBN plans.
Queensland
Townsville
- Aitkenvale
- Kalynda Chase Estate
- Mundingburra
- North Shore
Townsville, which was part of the first release sites on the mainland, had been marred by a mini tornado and there were disputes over where to locate the initial fibre rollout. However, the NBN was switched on in the area in September 2011.
It was the fourth site on mainland Australia to be connected to the NBN, with around 3100 premises to be covered by the NBN and 60.8 per cent of residents consenting to an NBN connection.
Brisbane
- Park Precinct
- Chelsea Apartments
Maroochydore
- Emporio
Other regions
- Bergins Rise
- Brentwood Rise
- Cunningham Rise
- Grantham Rebuild Project
- McInnes Field
- The Promenade
Toowoomba
- Athol
- Biddeston
- Blanchview
- Bongeen
- Bowenville
- Brookstead
- Cabarlah
- Cambooya
- Darling Heights
- Drayton
- East Greenmount
- Felton
- Geham
- Glencoe
- Glenvale
- Goombungee
- Gowrie Junction
- Gowrie Mountain
- Greenmount
- Groomsville
- Irongate
- Jondaryan
- Kearneys Spring
- Kingsthorpe
- Kleinton
- Linthorpe
- Meringandan West
- Mount Kynoch
- Mount Rascal
- Oakey
- Pittsworth
- Postmans Ridge
- Scrubby Mountain
- Southbrook
- Stoneleigh
- Vale View
- Wellcamp
- Westbrook
- Withcott
- Yandilla
Toowoomba was part of the second set of release sites for the NBN, which was announced in July 2010. The rollout in Toowoomba underwent a delay due to protracted negotiations with the $11 billion deal between NBN Co and Telstra. It was also reported that cable for the NBN had been mauled by rats.
The network was switched on in September 2011. Residents were given a free trial of the fixed wireless network for six months in January this year. NBN Co announced in June this year that 12 retail service providers were offering NBN plans in the area.
Recommended
Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.
- Bookmark this page
- Share this article
- Got more on this story? Email CIO
- Follow CIO on twitter
- Tassie towns first on NBN
- NBN Co to launch fixed wireless network trial
- UPDATED: Which NBN plan is best?
- Townsville tornado rips through NBN infrastructure
- Loud and clear: The Townsville NBN experience
- NBN Co to delay Second Release NBN sites
- new
- NBN mainland trial sites announced
- Armidale to become first mainland NBN site
- M2 connects first NBN customer
- NBN gains momentum with Kiama trial
- Updated NBN Co plan to be released next week
- PM Julia Gillard switches on NBN
- Telstra confirms Brunswick NBN contract
- First NBN-enabled Net cafe opens
- Internode signs up first Adelaide NBN customer
- Internode hooks up its first customer to NBN SA site
- Geraldton connects to the NBN
- More Tasmanian areas switched onto the NBN
- First Tasmanian customer connected to the NBN
-
Why change management doesn’t work
-
Larry Page wants to see your medical records
-
Dual-Persona Smartphones Not a BYOD Panacea
-
After two-year hiatus, EFF accepts bitcoin donations again
-
CIOs struggle to deliver timely mobile business apps: survey
-
The Big Data Security Analytics Era is Here
Large organisations can no longer rely on preventive security systems, point security tools, manual processes, and hardened configurations to protect them from targeted attacks and advanced malware. Henceforth, security management must be based upon continuous monitoring and data analysis for up‐to-the‐minute situational awareness and rapid data-driven security decisions. This means that large organisations have entered the era of big data security analytics. Learn more. -
Tips Choosing a Cloud Service Provider
Because cloud is still a new and evolving business model, it can be argued that the decision to select a cloud service provider should be approached with even greater diligence than other IT decisions. Many providers use the same term to define very different services, “hybrid cloud” is one example, making it difficult to compare offers. This whitepaper will help enterprises evaluate their options in two critical areas: the cloud service portfolio and the service provider itself. Read now. -
Managing the Rapid Rise in Database Growth: 2011 IOUG Survey on Database Manageability
As the era of “Big Data” marches on unabated, data is coming from an ever wider range of sources, including transactional systems, mobile devices, sensors, streaming media, and social networks. Businesses are looking for innovative ways to better leverage terabytes—and for some, petabytes—of information. Read more.
Get exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis. 
