Fraser MP Andrew Leigh has defended the national broadband roll-out in Canberra and called on the NBN Co to deal with long wait times "sensitively and effectively".
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The comments come after an NBN Co spokesman admitted on Tuesday the company had not adequately prepared for the roll-out of the network in the capital.
Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday that households in Canberra's northern suburbs can expect a wait of at least 10 weeks to be connected, due to the highest sign-up rates of anywhere in the country.
"Having the highest take-up rate in the nation, I think is something to be proud of but it comes with teething challenges and these wait times are one of those," Dr Leigh said.
"We've been working a lot with Canberrans who are keen to get the NBN and making sure we are contacting Telstra and NBN Co as needed. NBN issues are one of the things that comes through the office on occasions."
As the ACT installation backlog reached 2000 homes, NBN Co community relations manager Darren Rudd said the company should have foreseen long wait times.
Defending the NBN roll-out timeline, Dr Leigh dismissed the federal Coalition's broadband plans and previous criticism from ACT Liberal Senate candidate Zed Seselja.
"I'd always like to get the wait times down shorter and I am glad NBN Co is working to do that but I am yet to meet a Canberran who says the real problem is that we're building to send fibre to their house and in fact, wouldn't we please stop the fibre at a cabinet down the street," he said.
"I think we need to learn from the experiences of the NBN to improve it but let's be clear on this: I know of no Canberrans who think the NBN shouldn't be built - apart from Zed Seselja."
The Coalition's NBN policy would see fibre network cables connected to street cabinets known as "nodes", which are linked to homes and businesses via existing copper cables.
Liberal candidate Zed Seselja described the delays as disappointing, but said he felt his previous criticism was justified.
He said the Coalition was offering a simpler model, but one that would be rolled out "much, much quicker".
Current NBN plans would see fibre optic cables brought to 93 per cent of homes and businesses in the country.
- with Stephanie Anderson
