NBN defends transparency criticisms, spruiks the future of a connected continent post 2020

NBN chief executive Bill Morrow says most customers aren’t concerned about what type of technology they connect to the NBN with.

The NBN will be halfway complete by mid year, the company says. Picture: Chris Higgins

THE boss of the company behind the country’s broadband infrastructure project has defended the decision to remove information from the its website about what fixed line connection users can expect in their area saying it wasn’t a major concern for most customers.

NBN Co. was criticised for the change it made just before Christmas, seen as adding to what some claim is a deterioration in transparency for the mostly taxpayer funded company. But CEO Bill Morrow said those keen to find out about what type of connection they will get can still do so.

“Today you can go on and no matter who you are, log onto the website and find out when you can actually begin to order a broadband service that uses the NBN. That was never the case before,” he told news.com.au.

“We’re still refining that, we still have other details we need to add. It’s not that we’re removing anything, it’s just an evolution of the website that starts first with what people are asking about most. We seldom if ever get a call or a request about what technology it’s going to be,” he said.

Mr Morrow said the company was concentrating on ramping up the rollout and had an eye to the future with the development of new technologies paving the way for network upgrades for those customer who request it.

The NBN is set to deploy fibre-to-the-kerb in a number of neighbourhoods around the country beginning early this year, spreading fibre further throughout its network and providing a solid pathway for upgrades.

“I think it’s important too that we also consider 5G technology, and enhanced 4G technology as it goes forward into the future. We’re studying that right now ... as an upgrade path,” Mr Morrow said.

NBNCo chief executive Bill Morrow supplied by NBNCo

On Friday NBN Co. released a report titled Gen NBN: 2020 And Beyond, imagining the future of Australian homes and businesses following the completion of the nationwide network.

“By 2020, existing technologies such as 3D printers, virtual and augmented reality, drones, home automation, voice recognition and artificial intelligence will become more pervasive and entrenched in domestic, commercial and public buildings and sites,” the report said.

It may seem like a strange exercise given that millions of Australians are still a long way from having access to the network but the NBN boss said as the rollout gains steam it’s necessary to imagine its future applications.

“The middle of the year we’re gonna get to the halfway point and of course, 12 months from then we’re gonna be at the three-quarter completion point,” he said.

“It is really important that we understand what this really means. By commissioning this report it helps us cement our ideas of what the future might look like (with a fully connected nation).”

Lead researcher, Liam Magee from Western Sydney University said the completed network will help build a stronger national economy and dramatically enhance industries such as healthcare.

“In the twenty-first century, connectivity has become a new kind of capital, more valuable than natural resources and industrial manufacturing, as digital services driven by access to the NBN network is predicted to boost Australia’s GDP by around 2 per cent every year by 2020,” he said.

By 2030, it's expected all homes in the country will be connected to home internet.

Speaking to ABC radio Friday morning Mr Morrow said he was confident the company would find the private sector funding it required and denied the $19.5 billion top-up, in addition to the government’s $29.5 billion capped contribution was a rescue loan.

“No it wasn’t a rescue at all. It was clearly just prudency and managing taxpayers money than leaving it to us to go to the external markets,” Mr Morrow said.