NBN wireless, satellite speeds to double

Date: February 6, 2013

(0)
Comments 16

"This is a quantum leap for broadband services" ... Stephen Conroy. Photo: Jay Cronan

Residents in rural and remote areas will have access to broadband speeds quicker than their city cousins as the national broadband network boosts services in the regions.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and the network's builder, NBN Co, will announce on Wednesday an improvement in the speeds available via fixed wireless and satellite technologies.

Download and upload speeds on the fixed wireless network will double from 12 megabits per second (Mbps) download/1 Mbps upload to 25 Mbps download/5 Mbps upload.

"This is a quantum leap for broadband services in the most remote areas of Australia," Senator Conroy told ABC radio on Wednesday.

Customers on the permanent satellite network would have a similar jump in broadband speeds once NBN Co launched its two satellites in 2015.

"A better service than [fixed copper line] ADSL2+ in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the metro centres," he said.

Users on the interim satellite network currently have a capacity of 6 Mbps/1 Mbps.

Under Labor's $37.4 billion NBN, fixed wireless and satellite services will provide high speed broadband to around 7 per cent of Australians who live in rural and remote areas of the nation by 2015.

AAP

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16 comments so far

Yeah 2015... Rabbott will trash this project before then.... sigh

Commenter

Country user

Location

Mirboo North

Date and time

February 06, 2013, 11:29AM
- I suspect he'll probably try shelve all the city NBN and just keep the country part. Its a pity that many people don't understand you need the 93% of the population on fibre to cross subsidise the 7% in the country though. Great news for the technology though. 25mbps (which less than 2% of Australians currently get in volume) is a fantastic minimum speed for 98% of the population.
  
  Commenter
  
  Peter
  
  Location
  
  Oz
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 12:06PM
- Surely you must be happy that the miners will get the mining tax back and the polluters will get the carbon tax back. Who wants fast internet?
  
  Commenter
  
  JW
  
  Location
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 12:29PM
- The Coalitions expertise.
  I looked forward to a hung Parliament, let the parties show their mettle and their worth. The Coalition had the opportunity to craft Legislation in Australia's best interest and win over the Indies maybe even the Greens, they have all shown that they support Australia's best interests.
  They didn't even try, incapable.
  The NBN was an opportunity for them, no cost to the taxpayer and an eventual priceless assett to us all, a complete update of our comms infrastructure replacing ageing infrastructure that has had it's day, completely scaleable, upgradeable ubiquitous.
  There was an opportunity to extend the fibre footprint using existing taxpayer funded programs, tourist areas especially remote North would benefit in the day of the Connected Tourist (Tassie is finding this out), this would also benefit business eg miners in those areas and remote communities.
  They failed dismally, what can we expect from them.? Policies and Legislation they could not sell as in Australia's best interest but the Media spin doctors will to the public
  
  Commenter
  
  Abel Adamski
  
  Location
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 2:07PM
When many people have changed over to NBN wireless, does this mean my ADSL2+ will work much faster? Sure hope so.

Commenter

JohnH

Location

Horsham

Date and time

February 06, 2013, 12:46PM
- NBN Wireless will service 7% of the population in REMOTE country areas. These areas can't get ADSL2+ technology because of the distance. ADSL2+ is a cable technology so what relevance to wireless is there anyway? ADSL2+ speeds is also not dependant on the number of users on the network, just the distance from the exchange (max 5-10 kms or so).
  So when the NBN rolls down your street get it linked to your house (for free). Then get a NBN plan to replace your ADSL2+ plan. The NBN plan will be cheaper, a lot faster, include your phone line rental and a 12 month plan includes a free modem)
  
  Commenter
  
  Peter
  
  Location
  
  Oz
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 1:23PM
- Unlikely, more likely copper length or quality, however NBN wireless would be better anyway
  
  Commenter
  
  Abel Adamski
  
  Location
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 1:48PM
- Many thanks Peter & Abel
  
  Commenter
  
  JohnH
  
  Location
  
  Horsham
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 6:55PM
It was planned for 2015, good to see it has been brought forward, adequate backhaul was always the issue which must have been addressed. In the same way they are ahead on their FANS (recent figures a reflection of FANS commenced 12 Months ago )
Still an issue with Council approvals and Telstra's Pit, Duct and Conduit remediation (main reason why areas on the plan are delayed - worse state than anyone would have thought )
Big issue for take up especially in Rural where Mobile services are critical, is that in many cases the only carrier is Telstra , the only way for cheap mobile is bundled plans (same in cities but at least Optus/Optus wholesale available) which enforces land line rental and Telstra B/B - shutting out B/B competitors
Telstra will not offer wireless plans until mid 2013, their NBN with included landline is expensive discouraging uptake

Commenter

Abel Adamski

Location

Date and time

February 06, 2013, 1:47PM
- Yeah Telstra must really be loving being able to hand off all those ducts they've neglected for years (and get paid for it too)
  Interesting that Telstra is the only carrier in many rural areas. My understanding is that since iPrimus (for example) is hooked into the NBN pipeline then they can offer a service to anyone in the country? I thought that was a major benefit of the NBN? Is it just that the other carriers haven't got around to offering a service even though they could?
  
  Commenter
  
  Peter
  
  Location
  
  Oz
  
  Date and time
  
  February 06, 2013, 2:33PM

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