Construction of the National Broadband Network (NBN) will officially begin in Yarram this week. Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester today announced 1179 premises in Yarram would be able to connect to the NBN by the end of August. “Homes and businesses in Yarram will have access to faster, more reliable internet using fibre-to-the-node technology,” Mr Chester said. “Final network designs for Yarram are now complete. In coming weeks, locals will see subcontractors connecting the area with new high-speed broadband technology. Fibre-to-the-node technology offers average wholesale broadband speeds of around 70 megabits per second (Mbps). Many premises are able to access speeds of up to 100 Mbps. At least 90 per cent of the fixed-line footprint will have access to wholesale download speeds of 50 Mbps, allowing at least 10 home devices to connect to the internet at the same time. At the end of January, there were 51,204 homes and businesses ready for service in Mr Chester’s Gippsland electorate. Of those, 12,944 had an active NBN connection. Construction is underway to enable a further 13,780 homes and businesses to access the network. “High-speed broadband is the essential infrastructure of the 21st century,” Mr Chester said. “It allows students to learn and engage with classmates in virtual classrooms and it can boost efficiency and productivity for locals businesses by providing access to online services and products. ”And mums and dads will be able to take care of everyday tasks like accessing government services or paying bills quickly and easily online.” As construction of the NBN is completed over coming months in Yarram, residents and businesses will be able to sign up to a NBN plan with their chosen retail service provider. For more information, visit www.nbnco.com.au.
