The eight new locations are:

• NSW – Corrimal
• Qld – Ascot
• Tas – Bellerive, Claremont (Hobart), South Launceston
• Vic – Footscray, Karingal, Keysborough.

The updated schedule lists 66 sites across the country, containing more than 758,000 premises, where work on the NBN fibre network is completed, underway or will begin by December 2012.

The 12-month rollout schedule, first released in October 2011, marks the end of the trial phase and the beginning of the volume fibre rollout to 93 per cent of Australian premises.

For more information on the updated 12-month national fibre rollout schedule visit NBN Co’s website.

15 February 2012

NBN Co has signed a contract with Space Systems/Loral for the delivery of two Ka-band satellites and associated tracking, telemetry and control systems, as part of the National Broadband Network (NBN) long term satellite service.

The two new satellites mean that upon launch in 2015, NBN Co will be able to offer a 12 megabits per second (Mbps) download  and one Mbps upload service, at uniform national wholesale prices, to premises outside the NBN fibre and fixed wireless footprints.

This will deliver a step-change in performance for satellite users, both in terms of speed and reliability, compared with existing satellite services.

The contract follows a comprehensive procurement process and builds on the NBN Interim Satellite Service which was officially launched on 1 July 2011 and is providing access to enhanced broadband for regional Australians.

For more information see the Minister’s release or visit NBN Co’s website.

8 February 2012

The three-year trial will deliver high-quality online English language tuition, including virtual classes, to eligible migrants and humanitarian entrants in the home, to take advantage of the high-speed broadband connectivity available through the NBN.

The NBN has the potential to significantly extend the reach and availability of educational services, particularly in regional areas. In addition, the increased data capacity of the NBN can enable more immersive online interactions.

The initiative will take advantage of these opportunities to trial the use of expanded interactive and collaborative online learning services and resources in the delivery of English-language tuition.

It will help new migrants settle into regional communities and complement the Australian Government’s existing Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).

The trial builds on the government’s commitment to long-term, sustainable settlement outcomes for newly-arrived migrants through integrated, targeted and well-designed programs that support clients in their transition to life in Australia.

It will also contribute to the Australian Government’s National Digital Economy Strategy goal for expanded online education by enhancing online English language tuition for migrants.

A fact sheet on the trial is available here [PDF].

More information can be found at www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/help-with-english/amep/

February 7, 2012

The NBN-enabled Telehealth Pilots Program aims to demonstrate how NBN infrastructure enables better access to high quality healthcare services, particularly aged care, palliative care and cancer care, using telehealth services in the home.

The Department of Health and Ageing expects to release the final guidelines with the call for proposals in March 2012.

More information on the program can be found at the Department of Health and Ageing website.

• Fact sheets are available on the NBN-enabled Telehealth Pilots Program and the Benefits of telehealth

Unity4 is the largest at-home outsourced call centre in Australia, with more than 300 employees that provide call centre services from their homes to businesses all over Australia. Founder and CEO Dan Turner talks about the opportunities and challenges posed by teleworking.

• Transcript: Dan Turner Unity4 (PDF, 62 KB)

The largest single link ever commissioned in Australia, the Darwin fibre optic backbone stretches in excess of 3800 kilometres from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Toowoomba in Queensland and passes through more than 30 towns, including the priority locations of Emerald and Longreach. In total, the RBBP links have delivered almost 6000 kilometres of fibre backbone across Australia, benefiting around 400 000 people in regional, rural and remote areas.

Backhaul infrastructure provides the communication links that connect our towns, cities and rural areas to each other and the world. With increased backhaul competition, service providers can offer consumers in these areas internet packages with faster speeds and  larger download quotas at much cheaper prices than was previously available.

The link will also provide key infrastructure for the broader rollout of the National Broadband Network.

For more information on the launch see Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan’s media release or visit the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy’s website.

20 December 2011

For this round of funding, the government is looking for applications from local organisations in the communities of Bacchus Marsh (VIC); Coffs Harbour (NSW); Darwin (NT); Deloraine (TAS); George Town (TAS); Geraldton (WA); Goodna (QLD); Gungahlin (ACT); Kingston Beach (TAS); Modbury (SA); Prospect (SA); Richmond (NSW); Riverstone (NSW); South Hobart (TAS); South Morang (VIC); St Helens (TAS); Triabunna (TAS); Toowoomba (QLD); and Victoria Park (WA).

Applicants in Smithton are also eligible to apply under round two of the Digital Hubs program and applicants in Brunswick are also eligible to apply under round two of the Digital Enterprise program.

The Digital Hubs program provides training and support to residents in local communities to gain the skills needed to maximise the benefits of the NBN.

The Digital Enterprise program will provide funding for training to assist small-to-medium enterprises and not-for-profit organisations better understand how they can take advantage of the NBN and online opportunities more generally.

The Digital Hubs and Digital Enterprise programs support the National Digital Economy Strategy’s goal that Australia will be among the world’s leading digital economies by 2020.

The programs will be offered progressively in the first 40 communities to benefit from the NBN. Rollout of the program will be aligned to the NBN rollout schedule.

Round one of the programs targeted the five first-release mainland sites and three early release sites in Tasmania.

Total grant funding of $13.6 million is available for the Digital Hubs program. The Digital Enterprise program will provide total grant funding of $10 million.

The closing date for applications is 2pm AEDT on 3 February 2012.

To view the guidelines or to find out more about the Digital Hubs and Digital Enterprise programs visit: www.dbcde.gov.au/digitalhubs and www.dbcde.gov.au/digitalenterprise

The programs will enable local communities to take advantage of the National Broadband Network (NBN) and help reach the vision set in the Australian Government’s National Digital Economy Strategy, to make Australia a leading global digital economy by 2020.

Senator Conroy also called for applications from local organisations for round two of the Digital Hubs, Digital Enterprise and Digital Local Government programs to deliver services under these programs in the next 19 communities to benefit from the NBN.

The Digital Hubs program will provide communities with training in digital literacy and the opportunity to experience NBN-enabled services and technology.

The Digital Enterprise program will assist small-to-medium enterprises and not-for-profit organisations to provide group training seminars as well as one-on-one advice on how to take advantage of the NBN.

The Digital Local Government program will assist local governments in communities that first benefit from the NBN to improve their online council services, particularly to homes and businesses.

Guidelines and eligibility for making submissions are available at www.dbcde.gov.au/digitalhubs and www.dbcde.gov.au/digitalenterprise and www.dbcde.gov.au/digitallocalgov

For more information see the Minister’s media release.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzMWbE8AbqU

People from across Australia tell their stories about what the National Broadband Network means for them and their communities.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH6wJ0mNOQs

The National Broadband Network is rolling out right now.
If your street has access to the NBN and you want to get the benefits of it, you’ve got to get connected.
So, how do you get connected?
By picking up the phone or going online and contacting your telephone or internet service provider.