In 2017, footprint fast approaching mid-point milestone

nbn – the company building and operating Australia’s broadband network – is gearing up to deliver its biggest year yet; nbn aims to be almost  50% complete by 30 June 2017.

By 30 June 2017, nbn is targeting a total footprint of 5.4 million homes and businesses. The network build is accelerating, with 277,000 homes added to the footprint last month alone. The number of people able to connect will expand to 9 million homes by June 2018, with the end of the rollout then in sight.

The next 12 months will be significant in terms of scale for both the number of people who can access the nbn™ network and the number of paying customers.  To date more than 70 per cent of nbn’s rollout has happened in regional and rural areas, this year will see more construction commence in metropolitan areas along with our continued work right across the country.

 

nbn CEO, Bill Morrow said:

“Mid-way through the year, half the nbn™ network will be completed. This will be a significant turning point as we aim to finish the build by 2020 and become the first fully-connected continent in the world.

“We have developed strong foundations, processes and systems, and this year we will be opening up the nbn™ network to new regions, including many metro areas for the first time.

“The intensified deployment will present challenges but the nbn team, along with our partners and retailers, is focused on a positive experience for customers and end users as we accelerate the build and connection rates to new records,” said Mr Morrow.

 

Complexity of connecting the entire continent

With the rapid pace of the build, nbn faces the additional challenge this year of deploying the nbn™ network into the higher density metro-areas where access to pits and existing infrastructure becomes more difficult. This may mean disruption from civil works, visible for the first time in cities.

“As the nbn™ network rolls out into cities we will be met with new problems to solve,” said Mr Morrow.

“We understand there will be some disruption for residents and business owners as the 14,000 people working across nbn and our delivery partners complete the task as soon as possible.”

“The payoff will be worth it, with universal connectivity delivering health, commerce, education and lifestyle benefits to all Australians,” he said.

 

Some of the metropolitan areas where construction will begin or switch on this year include:

State	Local Government Areas
New South Wales	City of Sydney, Campbelltown, Warringah, Randwick, Hills District
Victoria	Boroondara City, Casey City, Glen Eira City, Knox City, Moonee Valley City
Queensland	Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast
South Australia	Onkaparinga, Salisbury
Western Australia	Fremantle, Bassendean
Tasmania	Hobart, Devonport

 

Media enquiries

Sharon Chang	Dan Holland
Mobile: 0447 582 337	Mobile: 0429 364 299
Email: sharonchang@nbnco.comau	Email: danholland@nbnco.com.au