5 February 2016
The Government has welcomed NBN Co Limited’s half yearly results, in particular, initial customer research showing the level of satisfaction with broadband services delivered using Fibre-to-the Node (FTTN) technology are the same as those using the gold plated Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology.
The results are a clear indication that the lower cost, more efficient FTTN network and multi-technology mix is the right choice to deliver high speed broadband to homes and business across Australia.
The half yearly results also reveal that the rollout of the National Broadband Network is accelerating, with 1.7 million homes and businesses now able to order a connection. The rollout under Labor was painfully slow, a miserly 51,000 users were connected to the fixed network by the 2013 election, results today show that number of total connected premises was 736,000 as at the end of 2015.
Financially, the company met or exceeded its targets with revenue from the six months to 31 December 2015 more than doubled when compared to revenue from the corresponding previous period. This is in stark contrast to the Labor’s rollout where the NBN Co failed to meet every rollout target it set itself.
The company is continuing to work closely with state and territory education, skills and workforce development departments and training providers to generate the 4,500 skilled workers required to build, operate and maintain the network.
The Government congratulates the management team of nbn who are focussed on building out the network, improving customer experience and creating the infrastructure needed to support technological innovation.
The NBN under Labor was one of the most poorly managed projects in the history of the Commonwealth. The Labor Party should blush with embarrassment whenever they mention the NBN.
The Coalition is committed to delivering fast broadband to all Australians, sooner and at least cost to taxpayers.
The nbn Corporate Plan estimates that continuing with an all-fibre build to completion would require funding of between $74 billion and $84 billion, and could not be completed until at least 2026.
The Labor Opposition have indicated they will return to their extravagant FTTP disaster. Further adding to the black hole of their unfunded policy announcements.
Labor need to come clean with the Australian people on how they plan to pay for their extravagant and failed policy and how much longer they will make Australians wait to be connected to the NBN.
Media contact: Justine Sywak | 0448 448 487 | justine.sywak@communications.gov.au