More than 70,000 Hinkler premises covered by NBN by 2018

An additional 40,200 premises across the Hinkler electorate will be able to connect to superfast broadband by the end of 2018, with NBN Co today releasing its three year accelerated roll out plan.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said the construction schedule would give local residents certainty on when the National Broadband Network (NBN) will reach them.

 “Construction will begin on the Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) networks in the first half of 2017 to connect 19,000 premises in Craignish, Dundowran, Dundowran Beach, Eli Waters, Kawungan, Nikenbah, Pialba, Point Vernon, Scarness, Toogoom, Torquay, Urraween and Wondunna,” Mr Pitt said.

 “Over the past two years, I have advocated strongly for better internet in suburbs that have poor to no internet. I am pleased to announce that FTTN construction will commence in early 2018 in problem areas like Avoca, Burnett Heads and Urangan.

 “FTTN construction will also start in early 2018 in Woodgate, Howard, Burrum Heads, Childers, Branyan, Millbank, Coral Cove, Elliott Heads, Innes Park, Booral and River Heads.”

 Mr Pitt reminded Hinkler residents that – after cleaning up the mess left behind by the previous Labor Government – Bundaberg was one of ten sites prioritised nationally last year to receive FTTN.

 “The FTTN build is already underway on 24,600 premises in the Bundaberg area, and is expected to be switched on later this year,” he said.

 “About 20 wireless NBN towers are either operational or under construction across Hinkler’s many rural communities.

 “Internet access is important for our community and will transform education, health care and other critical online services.”

  Mr Pitt said 9.5 million premises nationwide would be covered by NBN, using a mix of technology, by the end of 2018.

 “I recognise that Hinkler residents want NBN as soon as possible, and we are working hard to have the entire project completed by 2020 at a total cost of $29.5 billion,” he said.

 “So far, nationwide, more than 1.3 million homes and businesses can now order an NBN service. The previous Labor Government had only managed to connect 51,000 premises. Under Labor’s plan, the NBN would have cost at least $74 billion and wouldn’t have been completed until 2026.”