Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, in writing, on 21 October 2010.

In (a) Bauple, (b) Cherbourg, (c) Cooloola, (d) Cooran, (e) Cooroy, (f) Goomeri, (g) Gunalda, (h) Gympie, (i) Imbil, (j) Kandanga, (k) Kilkivan, (l) Maryborough, (m) Murgon, (n) Noosa, (o) Peregian Beach, (p) Pomona, (q) Rainbow Beach, (r) Tewantin, (s) Tiaro, (t) Tin Can Bay, and (u) Widgee, in the electorate of Wide Bay:

(1) By what date will fibre optic broadband services be available through the National Broadband Network (NBN) to residents and businesses in this locality.

(2) What areas in and around this locality will have access to a NBN fibre optic cable connection.

(3) How many houses and businesses will be offered NBN fibre optic broadband in this locality.

(4) Will the NBN cable (a) be rolled out on power poles, (b) be trenched underground, or (c) use existing trenches, in this locality.

(5) What is the actual cost of providing a NBN connection to households and businesses in this locality.

(6) What opportunities will exist for local contractors to assist in the delivery of the NBN in this locality.

(7) What are the anticipated NBN take up rates for (a) households, and (b) businesses in this locality.

(8) What charges will apply for NBN connections in this locality.

(9) What speeds and bandwidths will be available to subscribers under the NBN in this locality.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister representing the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy has provided the following answer to the Honourable member's question:

(1) NBN Co Limited (NBN Co) is developing a detailed timeline for the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) to specific locations across Australia.

NBN Co will provide details of the timing of the rollout to specific locations on its website as they become available.

According to NBN Co's Corporate Plan, the entire network will be completed by December 2020.

(2) An indicative list of towns that will have access to an NBN fibre connection has been published by NBN Co and is available at www.nbnco.com.au/our-services/coverage-maps.

NBN Co is moving as quickly as practical to enable the rollout of the NBN, including to localities in the electorate of Wide Bay. However, consistent with any project of this size and complexity, it is necessary that detailed planning and design phases are undertaken to determine the areas that will have access to a NBN fibre connection.

(3) See answer to question 2.

(4) (a) to (c) The Australian Government expects the rollout of the NBN to be as unobtrusive as possible. The need for any aerial deployment of cabling will depend on the availability of underground facilities. Where underground ducting is not available, NBN Co may utilise above ground infrastructure.

The Corporate Plan released by NBN Co Limited on 20 December 2010 indicates that 25 percent of the local network will be deployed aerially. This represents approximately 31 000 kilometres of aerial deployment. This will typically be in brownfield areas with pre-existing aerial infrastructure. This is subject to the completion of Definitive Agreements with Telstra.

In new developments where other services are put underground, it is expected that NBN cables will also be underground.

NBN Co has indicated it will work constructively with councils and communities in rolling out the network.

(5) The actual cost of providing a NBN connection to households and businesses within the Wide Bay electorate will not be known until after the NBN has been rolled out in that locality.

(6) A key objective of the NBN Co workforce development strategy is to ensure there is access to the right skills at the right time in the right place.

NBN Co is working with its partners, contracting companies, vendors, training institutions and private companies to develop a strategy that will identify the supply of qualified people, where they are located around the country, and what skill requirements will be needed to determine the training programs for its workforce.

(7) The anticipated NBN take up rates for the electorate of Wide Bay have not been determined by NBN Co. The NBN Co Corporate Plan assumes that 13.2 million premises will be passed or covered by NBN Co by the end of financial year 2021 with over 8.5 million premises connected – an overall take up rate of 65 per cent across all platforms.

To provide an indication of NBN take up rates, as at 6 April 2011, the percentage of households which had signed up for a fibre connection was:

88 per cent at Armidale

91 per cent in Willunga

78 per cent in Minnamurra / Kiama Downs

62 per cent in Townsville; and

In Brunswick, where the consent process is still underway, 52 per cent have so far signed up.

(8) According to its Corporate Plan, NBN Co will offer a basic service with a download speed of 12 megabits per second and an upload speed of 1 megabit per second at a uniform national wholesale access price of $24 a month.

Wholesale broadband prices will be the same for households and businesses regardless of where they are located in Australia.

Retail pricing levels will be a matter for retail providers that utilise the network and it is anticipated the level and range of retail prices will be comparable to existing prices in the market today.

(9) The government's objective is to connect 93 per cent of premises with fibre to the premises technology providing broadband speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. Fibre is a very scalable technology, allowing future speeds beyond 1 gigabit per second (1000 megabits per second).

All remaining premises will be served by a combination of next generation fixed wireless and satellite technologies providing peak speeds of at least 12 megabits per second.

These technologies represent a significant improvement over speeds currently experienced by users of those technologies today.