The rollout of high-speed fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) NBN is gaining pace in the upper Blue Mountains, with construction work underway in Blackheath.
Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman, visiting the site last week, said that this was something she has been fighting for since 2016.
“I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to finally see big diggers and NBN crews on the streets of Blackheath,” Ms Templeman said.
“The decision by the Liberals to provide fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) to the upper Mountains was a failure from the start, and it took the Albanese Government to increase the number of people who have fibre going directly into their home,” she said.
“While it’s fantastic to see the work underway at Blackheath, I know it has been a long, slow, wait for Blackheath and other areas who are on the current rollout. Back in 2017, the now Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland, came and met with people to hear why they felt they were being short-changed by the Liberal’s FTTN which relied on the old copper to do the connection from somewhere on their block to their internet box inside their home.
“They’ve had a long wait. And there are some areas that are still waiting to be added to the list – it isn’t a quick process to go back over old ground, dig new trenches for fibre, and have them ready for connection.
“Once the construction is complete more than 30,000 premises across the Blue Mountains will have the option to upgrade to full fibre NBN, including 2,400 in Blackheath.
“Access to reliable internet is not a luxury anymore. FTTP delivers faster upload and download speeds for businesses that are operating online, people working from home, and for families with kids who are using the internet as an educational tool.”
The work underway is part of the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to expand access of full fibre internet to 1.5 million additional premises following the previous government’s disastrous NBN rollout.
Full fibre has also been expanded in the lower and mid Mountains, with FTTP available to many homes from Lapstone to Hazelbrook.
By the end of 2025, 90% of premises on the fixed-line footprint across Australia will have access to download speeds of up to one gigabit per second.
Ms Templeman said the benefits of full fibre NBN go beyond the downloading speeds.
“Broadband connected by fibre is less affected by water and extreme heat so far more resilient in a bushfire, less likely to drop or degrade, and it requires less maintenance.
“Residents who are interested in upgrading to FTTP should check their eligibility and sign up for updates so they can be notified when it becomes available to them. Residents can also contact their internet service provider to request updates and discuss plan options.”
To find out if you are eligible visit: www.nbnco.com.au/residential/upgrades/more-fibre or contact your retail service provider
