NBN: One of PM's magnificent seven in Armidale

SWITCHING to the NBN is like switching on a brand new PC, at least according to one of the seven people in mainland Australia connected to the network.

Stephen Stroud

SWITCHING to the NBN is like switching on a brand new computer, at least according to one of the seven people in mainland Australia connected to the $36 billion fibre-optic network.

Stephen Stroud, a former IT manager now semi-retired, lives in the northeast NSW town of Armidale, part of federal independent MP Tony Windsor's electorate of New England.

When Mr Stroud heard an NBN test site would be built in his area, he rushed to sign up, and described his reaction upon being connected as "Wow!"

Mr Stroud, a committed online gamer, said yesterday the government's massive investment was justified.

He was uncompromising in his support for the project, even when faced with criticism from opponents who said the money should be spent elsewhere.

"Now I can do what I want (online) and I don't have to wait. That's selfish, but a lot of people are selfish in that regard," he said.

Mr Stroud said he was convinced that the NBN would bring opportunities to Armidale, and the rest of Australia, but conceded there was nothing he could do online now that he had not been able to do before. But now it's faster.

Across the road, Mr Stroud's neighbour, electrician Tony Ker-David, said faster was not enough.

"The speed of fibre is not required in the average home," he said. "They should've built wireless instead." Mr Ker-David said his Optus wireless connection was faster than the ADSL connection he had in his home, and that the government should have invested elsewhere.

Nearby, small business owner and test-site resident Richard Drozdowski echoed the view that increased internet speed was not a top priority.

"It's a convenience, not a necessity. There are other things that are higher priorities than that," he said.

Mr Drozdowski said his firm used the internet to transmit accounts, but could do that with the existing connection and therefore upgrading would not be a priority.

"Things are pretty lean and mean, and you don't get carried away and spend lots of money on communications when you have got other things that are more pressing to make your business work," he said.

Mr Drozdowski said that logic ought to apply for the government, too.

Mr Stroud said many people would be convinced of the NBN's value once they started to experience its benefits for themselves.