Katherine Dyer (NBN Co)
NBN Co is to upgrade its fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network in more suburbs across the country, adding 200,000 more premises to its higher internet speed connection rollout.
The upgrades will be available from service providers when ordering Home Fast, Home Superfast and Home Ultrafast wholesale speed tiers starting from March 2022.
This new upgrade allotment is expected to bring the National Broadband Network (NBN) builder’s FTTN upgrade rollout, which is part of NBN Co’s September 2020 $3.5 million investment into the NBN announced in September 2020, to 1.6 million premises.
“Over the last 12 months we have so far identified the suburbs and towns where 1.6 million premises will benefit from fibre pushed deeper into communities,” said NBN Co chief operating officer Kathrine Dyer.
“We have always maintained a good balance in our approach to these upgrades, so that we deliver balanced benefits to metropolitan and regional Australia. Our latest list of suburbs and towns demonstrates that we are making good on our promise of the delivery of faster speeds and we are making great progress with design and construction on the programs well underway across the country.
“We are on track to achieve our goal of enabling around 8 million premises or up to 75 per cent of homes and businesses on the fixed line network to access NBN’s highest wholesale speed tiers, on demand, by the end of 2023.”
The new suburbs set for connection upgrades include:
NSW
Anna Bay, Bonnells Bay, Buff Point, Caves Beach, Forresters Beach, Inverell, Merewether, Mudgee, Muswellbrook, Narromine, Parkes, Port Macquarie, San Remo, Thurgoona, Wamberal, Wellington, Windradyne, Wyoming, and Wyong.
Victoria
Bell Park, Cape Paterson, Diamond Creek, Doreen, Drysdale, Greenvale, Hamlyn Heights, Jan Juc, Lara, McCrae, Mildura, Norlane, Rosebud, Sale, Taylors Lakes, Torquay, Whittlesea, Wonthaggi, and Yarra Glen.
Queensland
Avoca, Biloela, Deception Bay, Frenchville, Goondiwindi, Lammermoor, Mango Hill, Narangba, Taranganba.
South Australia
Davoren Park, Greenwith, and Smithfield.
Western Australia
Dianella, Edgewater, Ferndale, Gosnells, Hamilton Hill, High Wycombe, Hillarys, Lynwood, Noranda, Padbury, Spearwood, Stratton, Swan View, Wanneroo, and Willetton.
In addition, Dubbo and Orange in NSW, Echuca in Victoria, Caboolture and Coolum Beach in Queensland and Morley and Port Kennedy in Western Australia are all set to receive further enhancements to existing connection upgrades.
As well as flagging the next suburbs slated for connection upgrades, the NBN builder also released its Q1 FY22 results, which saw it generate $1.25 billion in total revenue for the three months to 30 September, up 17 per cent year-on-year.
Its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was also up a whopping 600 per cent compared to the same quarter last year, to $714 million.
