RURAL NSW could be getting a better deal out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in light of a strategic review which showed higher than expected demand for fast internet connections in remote areas.
This high demand was no surprise to Anthony Gibson, NSW Farmers’ telecommunications spokesman.
“We’ve been flagging that the whole time... people in the bush are still wanting better internet service,” Mr Gibson said.
Research completed by NSW Farmers in 2011 showed internet usage from the bush was high and demand has grown since then.
The strategic review showed a number of issues for the NBN, with a blow-out in the costs and time required.
According to the review, Labor’s fibre-to-the-home approach would cost an extra $29 billion in capital expenditure and take an extra three years, while the Coalition’s fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) would cost about $12 billion more than expected.
Within these increased costs was the news that as many as 800 fixed wireless base stations would need to be built across the country, to keep up with increasing levels of broadband demand in rural areas.
This has led to the possibility that FTTN could be rolled out to some rural areas, currently planned to be serviced by the wireless and satellite service.
“The fibre is always going to be a better service and more reliable (than wireless and satellite service),” Mr Gibson said.
More people in rural areas on FTTN would also mean less people using the wireless and satellite service, which would also mean faster connections for them too.
“The satellite service can be like a traffic jam when too many people are using it at once,” Mr Gibson said.
While NBN and the government consider their options to face the higher than expected demand in the bush, Mr Gibson said whether they chose to build more wireless base stations, or have an extended FTTN rollout, it was important rural areas were given priority over metropolitan areas which already had fast internet.
“It would be nice to see some certainty when it came to the NBN for places like Wellington,” said local farmer Ian Law (pictured).
“Hopefully something will come out of it that helps people on the land and in rural towns.”
A spokesman for Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed the government’s commitment to rural areas for the NBN.
The spokesman said the advice in the strategic review, including the suggestion more areas receive FTTN instead of wireless service, would be crucial input into government policy.
NBN Co’s executive chair, Dr Ziggy Switkowski said the approach outlined in the strategic review would get the NBN back on track to deliver fast broadband to homes more quickly and at less cost.
“By 2019 more people will be able to access higher speed broadband than would have been the case had the previous plan continued on its current trajectory,” he said.
