REGIONAL CUSTOMERS MUST NOT BE IGNORED BY NEW NBN CEO

22 August 2018

Labor will be looking to NBNCo to address the backlog of issues in regional communications.

In particular, Labor wants NBN to stop deploying second-rate copper in regional areas where feasible, and instead prioritise the better Fibre to the Curb technology.

Thats because copper lines in regional Australia are old, degraded and will cost more to maintain than fibre.

Addressing the growing problem of congestion in the fixed wireless network should also a high priority for the new CEO.

NBNCos program to upgrade fixed wireless towers is making slow progress and isnt adequately addressing the issue of congestion.

The lack of transparency around the allocation of customers onto Sky Muster satellite NBN is also a concern.

Too many people in outer metropolitan areas and small towns are being rushed onto satellite NBN when a more rational approach that weighed up costs and benefits to the community would see them allocated to fixed wireless or even fixed line.

Given the dysfunctional state of the Turnbull Government, and an impending election, NBNCo need to ensure these needs arent ignored.