Update: Please click through to my Fact sheet about the early NBN rollout to Gungahlin for further details.
NBN Co today announced 19 locations for the next stage of its rollout on the mainland. These second release sites comprise 14 new locations including Gungahlin in the ACT.
The announcement that Gungahlin is one of 19 sites for an initial rollout of the NBN on the mainland is warmly welcomed.
“This is fantastic news and I am really pleased NBN Co has recognised the importance of resolving the broadband blockages endured for far too long by Gungahlin residents,” Senator Lundy said.
Gungahlin residents have long suffered poor broadband services, waiting lists, bottlenecks and slow speeds.
The NBN rollout presents a real and permanent solution to these problems once and for all.
At the NBN Co press conference, the Executive Chairman Mike Quigley said, “NBN Co looked at a range of criteria in selecting the second release sites – which included network design, the interest and engagement of the community and the level of existing infrastructure. Given the history of broadband problems the community has experienced with RIM technology, Gungahlin was a clear choice for an ACT site.”
“As an educator I fully understand the importance of broadband to our economic and community interests and it is great to see that Gungahlin has been prioritised seeing it is a high growth area in desperate need of quality connectivity,” candidate for Fraser, Andrew Leigh said.
Initially each site will see the network rolled out past 3,000 premises, with the exact area to be covered determined after further discussion with local authorities to ensure local considerations are factored into the final decision.
“I congratulate those who, like me, have campaigned long and hard for decent broadband in Gungahlin,” Senator Lundy said.
“I am proud to be part of a government that brought forward the visionary policy for a National Broadband Network.”
I and candidate for Fraser Andrew Leigh will be at Gungahlin Marketplace this Saturday 9:15-10:15am with information about the announcement and for people to let me know their thoughts on the announcement and its implementation, which I will pass on to NBN Co.
More details are available on Minister Conroy’s media release.
Media Contacts:
Annika Hutchins (Lundy) 0407 458 882
Andrew Leigh 0431 706 600
Transcript
I just thought I’d do this video to welcome the wonderful news that 3000 houses in Gungahlin to be accessed by the NBN network as part of these first 20 sites. I think it’s fantastic news!
It’s a real tribute to the Gungahlin community who have campaigned long and hard for better broadband access and I think that community’s been long suffering with all the dramas about Telstra’s poor service to the area, Telstra’s use of not only inadequate but inappropriate infrastructure as Gungahlin has been built out has meant many people have been left with a substandard services for many, many years.
What I like about what the National Broadband Network means for Canberra in Gungahlin is that Canberrans will get a first hand taste of what it will mean for all of us.
The (full) rollout is going to take a number of years so to have 3000 households in Gungahlin getting the NBN first is going to be a wonderful example of how we can all benefit.
It’s also important to remind everyone in this region that no one misses out on the National Broadband Network.
The Libs have been trying to say that somehow, some people in this region will miss out on the National Broadband Network, but that’s just not true.
Labor’s policy will deliver 100 megabits per second to 90 per cent of the population, and the rest of the population will get 12 megabits per second. That’s a vast improvement on the limited services currently available through Telstra’s network or the wireless networks that are rolled out already.
This is extremely good news, and I’m so thrilled that Gungahlin is part of this rollout.
I think it’s a credit to everyone involved in the campaign and I particularly want to shout out to Russ Gillon who’s run his broadband for Gungahlin community campaign for a while now. And also the Gungahlin Community Council which has campaigned long and hard as well.
I’m proud as a Senator for the ACT to have been promoting the issues associated with Gungahlin for many years and to see this fantastic result.
