NBN Co has brought forward the introduction of next-generation fixed wireless technology so that regional and rural Australia can get access to better broadband as soon as possible.

On 3 August 2011 NBN Co announced the first five sites to receive the NBN via its high-speed, fixed wireless service. The first areas will be the less densely populated rural and regional communities that surround Geraldton (WA), Toowoomba (Qld), Tamworth (NSW), Ballarat (Vic) and Darwin (NT).

Customers in these areas are expected to be able to sign up with service providers to use the network, which uses the latest 4G technology, from the middle of 2012.

This follows NBN Co’s announcement on 1 June 2011 that it had entered into a contract with Ericsson to design, build and operate a 4G fixed wireless network to connect premises in regional and rural areas to the NBN.

In support of this, NBN Co has obtained the necessary spectrum licences to progress the rollout of the fixed wireless network at an auction run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority on 13 July 2011. The auction purchase complements the spectrum licences that NBN Co purchased on 17 February 2011 from AUSTAR.

NBN Co plans to complete the rollout of its fixed wireless network by 2015.

For more information about the first NBN fixed wireless sites, including coverage maps, visit NBN Co’s website.