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City businesses look to cash in on $4.5b NBN upgrade across region

TOOWOOMBA businesses are getting ready to cash in on the upgrade of the National Broadband Network, with the region part of the first wave of the $4.5 billion investment.

The NBN Co is being upgraded, and Toowoomba is one of the areas getting it first.
The NBN Co is being upgraded, and Toowoomba is one of the areas getting it first.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise hosted a roundtable with key technology stakeholders and NBN Co yesterday to discuss what the upgrade would mean for businesses.

The city is one of 130 initial locations that are now eligible to access premium business grade fibre and CBD zone pricing for business NBN Enterprise Ethernet.

Many of the strategic growth locations will be centred on major hospitals and health facilities, providing a boost for essential services and health innovation.

TSBE energy and infrastructure general manager Lance MacManus said the announcement was a win for the region.

“This is a significant announcement that will ensure businesses across our region are provided the best connectivity possible with competitive pricing – the same as major city CBD pricing,” he said.

“With the initiative, our economy will be able to invest in digital growth and capability like never before.

Lance MacManus of TSBE, Damon Cavalchini of NBN Co, Roger Klaassen of Computer Troubleshooter and Daniel McNamara of TSBE.
Lance MacManus of TSBE, Damon Cavalchini of NBN Co, Roger Klaassen of Computer Troubleshooter and Daniel McNamara of TSBE.

“We’ll now have regional businesses with close to gigabit-capable fibre, ensuring higher productivity and job opportunities.”

It comes just a few weeks after the Federal Government announced it would upgrade a large chunk of fibre-to-the-node users to full fibre by 2023.

This would align the scheme with The Rudd-Gillard Government’s original vision for the NBN nearly a decade ago, which at the time was slammed by the Coalition as too expensive.

For more information, head to the NBN Co website.

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Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/business/city-businesses-look-to-cash-in-on-45b-nbn-upgrade-across-region/news-story/a127fba2239fb6901cde42fa9895b561