New broadband commitment a huge boost to Western Victoria
Monday, 11 May 2009 06:39
The Colac Otways Shire, Surf coast Shire and the Golden Plains Shire and will get much improved broadband telephone and internet services due to a new $43 billion commitment by the Federal government over eight years..
“The bottom line for our region is that the further away you go from Geelong, the worse the broadband service gets. So people in Dereel, Steiglitz, Bamganie, Teesdale and Wallinduc who were the most disadvantaged will get the most advantage from the new initiative,” Darren Cheeseman said.
The Colac Otways Shire, Surf coast Shire and the Golden Plains Shire and will get much improved broadband telephone and internet services due to a new $43 billion commitment by the Federal government over eight years...
“The bottom line for our region is that the further away you go from Geelong, the worse the broadband service gets. So people in Dereel, Steiglitz, Bamganie, Teesdale and Wallinduc who were the most disadvantaged will get the most advantage from the new initiative,” Darren Cheeseman said.
“The commitment means we will deliver superfast broadband services to all homes and businesses in our region.”
“At a minimum, every household and every business will get 12 mega bits per second broadband via either a cable or radio service, no matter whether they live.”
“This is a win on multiple fronts because of the hundreds of local jobs created in the rollout, the improved services for business and home-owners, and improved safety in times of fire and other emergencies.”
The Government will be the majority shareholder of the company and the government anticipates substantial private sector investment in the company. The company will invest up to $43 billion over 8 years to build the national broadband network.
“I am particularly pleased to see a high priority being given under the new initiative to investment in “backhaul” wireless broadband and mobile phone areas, which will immediately address problems in blackspots.”
“That is precisely the policy that we have been lobbying so hard for. We couldn’t have asked for more.”
“Another important benefit will also be about pricing. The Government’s initiatives means it will now be much easier for Telstra competitors to come in and compete, so there will be a substantial increase in competition and I believe reduced costs as a result,” Darren Cheeseman said.
“The Government’s approach will also see homes, schools and workplaces in urban and regional towns connected with optical fibre (fibre to the premise or ‘FTTP’), delivering speeds of up to 100 megabits per second - 100 times faster than those currently used by most people.”
The new broadband services will also drive Australia’s productivity, improve education and health service delivery and connect our big cities and regional centres.
More information on the National Broadband Network is available from www.dbcde.gov.au/nationalbroadbandnetwork
Media contact Joe Taylor 0416241653.
