Thousands of customers in the Sunshine Coast electorate of Fisher are set to have access to ultrafast broadband following NBN Co’s announcement of thelatest trancheof suburbs and towns across Australia that will become eligible to upgrade to NBN’s Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said that the suburbs selected this round in Fisher are Sippy Downs, Battery Hill, Aroona, Currimundi, Caloundra West, Dicky Beach and Little Mountain.
“As we all wrestle with the on-going challenges of COVID-19 the internet has become more important than ever in keeping us connected. Faster broadband in our region of course means smoother video calls, even if someone else is streaming in the household. However, as we manage the economic consequences of COVID-19, on the Coast it means much more.” Mr Wallace said.
“This investment by NBN Co in our region will provide a much-needed boost to economic activity and employment on the Sunshine Coast. It will give small businesses access to ultrafast broadband allowing them to offer new and innovative products and services online and communicate better with their customers in Australia and overseas.” he said.
In total, NBN Co’s commitment is to make speeds of up to 1 Gbps available to around 8 million premises, or up to 75 per cent of homes and businesses in the fixed line network footprint, by 2023.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, welcomed the announcement by NBN Co identifying the locations of an additional 300,000 homes and businesses which will be able to access ultrafast internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps (one gigabit per second, otherwise known as 1,000 megabits per second – or blazing fast broadband).
Work on the 1.1 million premises in the Fibre to the Node network areas already selected for upgrade is underway and this announcement takes the total footprint to 1.4 million premises selected.
“This is a further step towards delivering on NBN Co’s commitment as part of the $4.5 billion network upgrades announced last year, that two million premises presently on the fibre to the node footprint will be able to order a service of up to 1 Gbps by the end of 2023.” Minister Fletcher said.
For more information on the NBN, go to www.nbnco.com.au
