nbn appreciates the community in Bellingen Shire is passionate about the rollout of the nbn broadband access network to the region. However, in recent coverage of the deployment of the nbn™ access network it has been misreported that nbn was lobbied successfully to change the multi-technology mix for your community. Concerns about the performance of our fixed wireless network are also unfounded. I would like to share with you the facts around our rollout in the region:

nbn did not change our multi-technology mix for Bellingen Shire as a result of lobbying. nbn’s Multi-Technology Mix (MTM) model enables flexibility for nbn to select the most cost-effective, best-fit and efficient rollout technology for each home, business, and community across the country. Using a set of criteria based on existing telecommunications infrastructure, cost, and the local geography, our remit from the government is to deliver the best technology mix to ensure all Australians have access to a minimum of 25MBps download, and 5MBps upload, within the funding available. Many areas are serviced by multiple technologies in order to get this mix right. The anticipated access technology to be deployed in communities can and does change throughout the planning and design phase, and also as new technologies or processes emerge. In the case of Dorrigo and Bellingen, nbn recently took the decision to change access technologies for these areas due to cost and geographical factors, following the incorporation of the new FTTC technology into the mix. To be clear, this was an nbn decision, and was not influenced by the Bellingen Shire Council, as was incorrectly reported. The only avenue available to interested parties that wish to choose the technology deployed at their location is to pay for a switch to an alternative nbn™ network technology via the nbn Technology Choice program. You can find out more about this program at www.nbn.com.au/technologychoice.

Where our nbn Fixed Wireless network is available across Bellingen Shire, we have tested and verified signal strength and capacity . In response to concerns raised in the community, technicians have physically tested signal strength in the streets of Bellingen Shire to confirm viability. In addition, we have analysed the throughput of the nbn™ Fixed Wireless network to confirm it is operating without congestion. It’s important to remember that the nbn™ access network is only one component of your internet experience – congestion can be experienced within your Retail Service Provider’s network, particularly during peak times, unrelated to the nbn™ access network. If you are experiencing issues with your service I encourage you to speak to your Retail Service Provider who will investigate on your behalf. To learn more about factors impacting your experience, head to www.nbn.com.au/guide.

Upgrade paths are also available on the nbn Fixed Wireless network. In fact, nbn has announced plans to launch one of the fastest Fixed Wireless broadband services in the world. The new 100/40Mbps wholesale speed tier plans are scheduled for release to retailers in early 2018.  

Keep an eye out for more from nbn to further clarify what you need to know as we continue to roll out the network in your region.

Amber Dornbusch 

Head of nbn Local NSW/ACT

When the Coalition government was elected in 2013, and the then Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull outlined their changes to the NBN rollout, experts were unanimous in their warnings that it would create a digital divide between those who got a full-fibre NBN, and those who didn't.

The complaints of Bellingen business people about the state of their NBN simply show that all those warnings were correct.

My family and I currently divide our time between Thora and Coffs Harbour. At home in Thora, our internet is all the things described by others in Bellingen: expensive, slow, limited for data, and unreliable. In Coffs, which was lucky enough to get full-fibre NBN under the original Labor rollout, we get 5 times faster speeds (we could get 20 times faster if we wanted), have had one dropout this year that lasted 30 seconds, and have no data limit. For this massively superior service, we pay less per month, pay no line rental, and get a free phone service.Chalk and cheese doesn't begin to describe the difference.

The digital divide is right on our doorstep, just north of Urunga and south of Sawtell.

It's going to take a lot of money to fix it, as all the copper-based nodes in the Coalition's NBN plan, including those yet to appear in Bellingen, will need to be scrapped to upgrade to the standard of internet already available in Coffs. It will take decades and cost far more than the small percentage saved by cutting corners in the current rollout.

It will take a lot of political will to fix the NBN, and that political will is sadly lacking at present. Hopefully the efforts of people like Jason Errey to highlight the problems will create the pressure needed to push our politicians towards a real solution that provides equal access to the most important technology of our century for all Australians.

John Kramer

Thora