As demand for fast broadband increases, NBN Co is helping ICT professionals to make it easier for businesses to transition to our access network.

With only two years to go until the rollout of the nbn™ broadband access network is complete, more and more local businesses are migrating to services over the nbn™ access network.

And to help them transition smoothly, we’ve launched a new nbn™ Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Channel Program to support ICT consultants and businesses that are helping business customers to connect.

The nbn™ ICT Channel Program has been designed to help enable technology consultants to assist customers in and beyond their migration. It provides support and training on the full end-to-end overview of what’s required to successfully plan and prepare businesses to migrate their connectivity and business technology infrastructure across to the nbn™ access network.

“The launch of this new channel program is a part of our commitment to do our part to help lift end user customer service experience by collaborating with industry to improve processes around the connection, migration and delivery of service for businesses,” says Keith Masterton, NBN Co General Manager of Business Channels.

Demand for new connections to the nbn™ access network is growing. An average of 20,000 businesses per month are migrating their services across, with NBN Co rising to the challenge of supporting the transition.  

Why the nbn™ ICT Channel Program is important

Research conducted by NBN Co shows almost 40 per cent of Australian small to medium-sized businesses looking to connect to the nbn™ access network will seek help from an ICT professional.

With so many businesses relying on online connectivity to operate, any technical issues or unforeseen hurdles during migration could affect productivity and cause unplanned downtime.

And if those businesses also use Special Services – like Ethernet Lite, Frame Relay and Megalink – expert management can be especially useful when it comes to migrating key business technologies, such as EFTPOS machines and security systems.

While NBN Co has worked extensively to educate and support phone and internet providers signing up businesses to services over our network, together we’re taking it a step further with the nbn™ ICT Channel Program.

Independent consultants and ICT businesses across the country can choose to sign up to the nbn™ ICT Channel Program to be educated, and recognised with a business accreditation if program requirements are met, to help them provide the best customer experience for their clients.  

How the nbn™ ICT Channel Program works

Participation in the nbn™ ICT Channel Program is open to individuals or organisations who provide ICT consultancy services.

Eligible individuals can enhance their credentials as an nbn™ business accredited adviser, while eligible businesses can achieve accreditation as an nbn™ business accredited adviser with branding and marketing support.

The program will also bring together participating phone and internet providers, ICT vendors, distributors and technology leaders to help participate in driving digitisation and provide additional support to their partners and customers. Currently only pilot participants are part of the program. Participation in the program will be open to all phone and internet providers and additional ICT vendors and distributors. Details of program participants and support will be made available as participants are brought on board.

There are four pillars in the program:

Inform

This foundational pillar focuses on helping to improve end user customer satisfaction by ensuring the participating ICT consultant has a fundamental knowledge of the nbn™ access network and its technologies. Plus, there’s access to support so that consultants can get the answers to tough questions when working with their clients.

Grow

This pillar of the program aims to help ICT consultants grow their reach and existing footprint by driving deeper engagement with their customers and unlocking future business.

Empower

This encourages participants to help their customers capture the digitisation opportunity presented by the nbn™ access network. Not only is it about establishing how businesses can benefit from fast broadband, it also provides branding and marketing support to eligible participating organisations.

Connect

Continued, easy access to flexible online learning tools remains available to consultants who undergo the program. Plus, they will be able to build and strengthen relationships with participating vendors and distributors, as well as industry leaders through the ICT Channel Program community.

What the ICT industry is saying about our ICT Channel Program

Prior to launch, the nbn™ ICT Channel Program was road tested with local businesses and refined to ensure it would best fulfil its purpose. Those involved in the trial have been positive about its value, including Michael Dowling, National Manager for Computer Troubleshooters.

“The date to move services to the nbn™ access network is looming for many of our business clients so we support NBN Co on the development of this new channel, which will help to prepare our local partnering franchises to migrate them to the new network,” says Dowling.

“We have seen almost 70 per cent of our franchisees register to the nbn™ ICT Channel Program during the pilot and we are confident this new support service will enable them to provide a smooth migration with minimal downtime for businesses coming on to the nbn™ access network.” ^

For more information, and to apply, visit nbn™ ICT Channel Program.

^ Your experience, including the speeds actually achieved over the nbn™ broadband access network, depends on the technology over which services are delivered to your premises and some factors outside our control (like your equipment quality, software, signal quality, broadband plan and how your service provider designs its network).