Web users in rural areas surrounding Canberra say the contrast between services in the city and country remains stark and they don't expect the NBN to change it much.

The first fibre-optic cable was laid in Gungahlin suburbs earlier this month.

NBN Co said then that the rollout would be completed in the area by next May, with the main business and shopping precinct expected to be able to connect to services by Christmas.

Work to connect about 135,000 homes and businesses in the territory is scheduled to begin or be completed by mid-2015.

But Palerang Council general manager Peter Bascomb said two documents from NBN Co proposing wireless and fibre services had left him confused as to which would be provided to the area's residents.

''Council doesn't see NBN wireless being of great benefit to the area,'' Mr Bascomb said. ''If fibre does come through, yes it would be of great benefit.''

Palerang's west had become a commuter suburb of Canberra, but there was little prospect of people working from home over the internet, despite a Commonwealth government policy to encourage public servants to work from home.

Gundaroo organic farmer Michael Plane relies on a privately run mini telco to provide his internet and email.

His internet service also enables him to speak to his daughters in the US on Skype and keep pace with email orders, since leaving a frustrating and ''flaky'' satellite service.

''I mean, internet speed was pathetic,'' Mr Plane said.

''But we have wireless here now and it's great, it's fast, reliable, you can actually talk to someone if you have got a problem.''

Anthony Goonan, of Yless4u, which provides Mr Plane's business-grade internet service, installs infrastructure on the hills and valleys surrounding Canberra that otherwise would block radio signals for his clients.

''We have high upload speeds,'' Mr Goonan said. ''NBN will never satisfy [demand]. We have seen a dramatic change over the past five years as more and more uploads are required.''

Upper Lachlan Shire Council general manager John Bell said the shire had a population of more than 7500 people, including 3000 in Crookwell, which would qualify for the rollout of fibre.

''We continue to ask,'' Mr Bell said. ''Right throughout our whole local government area we have been asking for it.''

In the Canberra-Sydney corridor and within an hour and 15 minutes from Sydney, the shire suffered a huge gap in technology, Mr Bell said. Crookwell's location in the Great Dividing Range created great terrain obstacles.

Bywong resident Chris Fowler said the NBN would not solve communications issues in rural areas.

''Everywhere you read, everywhere you look, everyone assumes everyone is getting this service,'' Mr Fowler said.

''Let's be real about the NBN, it's just a tool and people should get out of this assumption that they will be getting it tomorrow.''

An NBN spokeswoman did not have a time frame for Crookwell, Bungendore or Braidwood, which would be served by fibre.