House debates

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

Notices

National Broadband Network (Question No. 261)

Photo of Matt KeoghMatt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Finance, in writing, on 02 December 2019:

Further to the answer to question in writing No. 208 (House Hansard, 25 November 2019, page 244), and in respect of part (3) of the question:

a. why are 114 electorate offices on copper (PSTN/Copper) and not on the NBN; and

b. what does copper refer to, if not PSTN

Photo of Josh FrydenbergJosh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

The Minister for Finance has supplied the following answer to the honourable member's question:

a. The rollout of NBN is scheduled to complete its build phase in June 2020, with 90 per cent of residential premises Ready to Connect to the NBN now. As at 2 December 2019, there were 150 electorate offices on the NBN, with a further 19 in the process of transitioning to NBN. Finance works with each electorate office to transition to NBN as it becomes available in each location.

b. In Australia, the bulk of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PTSN) is provided over copper. There are some lines however which technically could be provided over other technology. For example, services in major cities could be provided over a fibre network. For simplicity, this would still be referred to as PSTN.