More FTTP connections for Torquay and Jan Juc

MORE than 14,000 homes and businesses across some parts of the Geelong and Suf Coast region can upgrade their fibre NBN connections to allow faster uploads and downloads from next year.

Announced by NBN Co on Monday this week, the fibre extension initiative will allows customers living and working in premises now served by Fibre to the Node (FTTN) to become eligible for Fibre to the Premises (FTTP).

Bell Park, Drysdale, Hamlyn Heights, Jan Juc, Lara, Norlane and Torquay are among the towns and suburbs just added.

NBN Co expects that internet retailers will begin taking orders for higher speed tiers from the first eligible customers from March 2022.

The FTTN to FTTP network upgrade gives premises access to the FTTP “Home Ultrafast” service, which offers wholesale download speeds of close to 1 gigabit per second, on demand.

NBN Co says its area selection criteria for the program is based on areas where the company anticipates strong demand for higher speeds; where it can provide maximum benefit to the most customers; where it can deploy with speed and agility, and where its investment is most likely to spread and multiply economic activity across the nation.

“Over the past 12 months we have so far identified the suburbs and towns where 1.6 million premises will benefit from fibre pushed deeper into communities so that more customers can access Home Fast, Home Superfast or Home Ultrafast services, on demand,” NBN Co chief operating officer Kathrine Dyer said.

“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.”

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the announcement would bring the total to 1.6 million premises of NBN Co’s two million target.

“This next stage will see another 200,000 premises eligible, more than 14,000 in the Corio and Corangamite electorates, which will drive significant benefits to the community.

“NBN Co will now work with its construction and delivery partners to get premises in the Geelong region ready to upgrade to ultrafast speeds when they choose to do so.

“This represents a key part of NBN Co’s $3.5 billion investment that will see 75 per cent of Australia’s fixed line network able to access ultrafast broadband by 2023.”

Victorian Senator Sarah Henderson said ultrafast broadband would create jobs in the community, ensure local businesses can access the speeds they need to thrive, and improve connectivity for families in the entire region..

For more information, head to the NBN Co website.