National Broadband Network rollout in Gungahlin

The construction of one of Australia’s most important infrastructure projects – the National Broadband Network – is under way in Gungahlin.

Within the next 18 months coverage will extend to 20,800 residences in Ngunnawal and Amaroo, in what is the second biggest rollout in the NSW/ACT region.

On average it is expected to take 12 months from the start of the fibre network rollout in a given area until residents are able to receive high-speed broadband over the NBN.

The NBN is a nationally significant project. It is a project – which thanks to the vision of the federal Labor Government – will bring super-fast broadband internet right across Australia, including, of course, to the ACT.

It will bring significant benefits for local residents, businesses and government. It will contribute to economic growth, create jobs, contribute to innovation, and enhance Canberra’s credentials as a forward looking, high-tech city.

In some ways it is impossible to determine how ubiquitous, superfast broadband will change our society. It is perhaps analogous to the coming of the telegraph or the railway – at the time the long-term benefits of these innovations could hardly have been imagined.

Nevertheless, some of the benefits of the NBN include:

Facilitating new business enterprises, and generating employment in these fields. It’s not just about firms in the information and communications technology field, but about any company that wants to do business faster and smarter;

Improving the educational and teaching resources for teachers and students, allowing for greater use of virtual classrooms and video conferencing. One day our students might learn Mandarin from a teacher in Beijing, or go on a virtual tour of the Louvre;

Boosting business efficiencies and revenues, particularly for small and medium firms, by allowing the transfer of data and information more quickly and cheaply;

Providing increased opportunities for new and innovative delivery of health and community services. For example, it will allow the uploading vast quantities of data, such as medical imaging, in which details are vital; and

Improving the delivery of government services. Imagine a virtual government shopfront – where you can “walk’’ in and pay a bill, while sitting at home. This will benefit not just those who may otherwise need to visit a physical shopfront, but also those who have limited mobility.

The ACT Government is taking an active role to identify and implement the timely rollout of the NBN across Canberra.

Early next year NBN Co will issue a three year indicative plan for the rollout, to be updated annually until the anticipated completion of the project in 10 years’ time.

The ACT Government NBN Implementation Taskforce meets regularly with representatives of NBN Co to discuss the rollout in Canberra, and also meets residents and community groups.

The Government is also exploring the service and business ‘value added’ possibilities of the NBN, to help open up new ways of thinking about the possibilities of high-speed broadband infrastructure.

In addition, the Government is in the process of negotiating a contract with NBN Co for the provision of fibre in its new developments. NBN Co has been engaged by the Village Building Company to provide telecommunication services to its new developments at Watson and Macgregor.  The timing of the Watson build is likely to mean that this is the first NBN implementation in Canberra, and it will proceed in parallel with the Gungahlin rollout.

The NBN is already creating jobs. NBN Co has engaged Silcar to deliver the physical rollout of the network in Gungahlin, with up to 40 jobs being created during the peak of construction work.

NBN Co include local industry engagement polices when selecting physical rollout partners, which applies to Silcar as part of their Canberra rollout contract.  The program will also generate ongoing employment for the connection of households to the network, such as for local electricians.