Australia’s NBN Co has published a list of the latest towns and suburbs which will benefit from fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) rollout, with around 900,000 premises expected to gain access to gigabit speed services by 2023.
In its announcement, NBN Co gave details of the first suburbs and towns in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Northern Territory that are currently served by fibre-to-the-node (FTTN), but where certain premises will progressively become eligible for FTTP upgrades. This follows earlier announcements regarding the company’s plans to roll fibre deeper into communities to pass some 200,000 premises, while the latest announcement also includes details of additional suburbs and towns in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia where certain premises will ultimately benefit from new fibre extensions. Upon completion of detailed design and construction activity for the FTTN to FTTP network upgrade programme, NBN Co has said the company expects to initiate a small-scale launch that will enable the first customers to place orders with internet retailers for fibre lead-ins and higher speed services in some eligible areas from November 2021.
According to NBN Co, its FTTN to FTTP network upgrade programme will enable up to two million premises across the country to access gigabit speed connectivity, and forms part of a wider AUD3.5 billion (USD2.7 billion) investment plan under which the company aims to make its highest wholesale speed tiers available to around eight million homes and businesses – or around 75% of the country’s total premises – by 2023. NBN Co has said it plans to commence similar full fibre upgrades which would be made available on demand to eligible customers living or working in premises currently served by fibre-to-the-distribution-point (FTTdp) – referred to by NBN Co as fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC). Meanwhile, NBN Co noted it is currently engaged in consultation with internet retailers to define the process by which customers living in eligible premises currently served by FTTN or FTTC will be informed that their premises is eligible to receive higher speed services.