NBN Co will need thousands of workers as it prepares to ‘unleash the power of the network’
Australia’s broadband network is in line for a multibillion-dollar overhaul – and that means thousands of workers and hundreds of thousands of households are set for a boost.
SA News
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An estimated 160,000 South Australian households will get access to top tier internet speeds as part of the biggest overhaul of the National Broadband Network since its inception.
New investment, outlined in a new NBN CO Corporate Plan released today, is also set to create an additional 2000 jobs for South Australians over the next two years.
Jobs are expected to range from drillers and haulers to safety inspectors and field specialists.
The plan is centred on the three key reforms – getting better internet speeds for households, increased access to super fast internet for businesses and better services in regional areas.
NBN Co will also spend $400 million across the country upgrading its HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial) network so that customers can order up to 1GB download plans.
There are about 200,000 homes in the HFC network where the existing ‘pay TV’ or cable network can be used to make the final part of the NBN connection.
NBN Co Chief Executive Officer Stephen Rue told The Advertiser the company had been concentrating on the roll out across the country for the past ten years.
“What we are doing now is unleashing the power of the NBN network so that people can get the highest speeds we have available.
Mr Rue said a new regional focused scheme, that will allow local councils and the South Australian government to join forces with the NBN Co to improve infrastructure, could be a huge boost for regional SA.
“There are parts of South Australia where there has been a push by regional councils for NBN so one of the things we are doing is creating a $300 million (national) fund where we will partner to coinvest in places where it does not make economic sense for us to enable that area to receive greater capability,” he said.
“Regional South Australia will benefit because it will give people the ability to live in the regions, it will give business the opportunity to get greater services that will help them market their business and gain use of greater productivity tools, or have employees working in various parts of Australia.”
Last month The Advertiser revealed South Australian households were taking up more slower plans than anywhere else in the country.
Barker MP Tony Pasin MP who is also Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network, said the reforms would have huge benefits for regional customers – particularly businesses.
Federal Labor figures described the NBN Co announcement as an acknowledgment they had been on the right track.
