The National Broadband Network is now available to more than 6000 homes and businesses in the Cessnock area.
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The network was activated on Tuesday, making residents in parts of Cessnock, Aberdare, Kearsley and Nulkaba the first locals eligible to connect the fibre-to-the-node technology.
More than 270 premises on the outskirts of Rothbury are able to access the NBN through fixed wireless technology, and many premises in the region are also eligible to connect to the network through the Sky Muster satellite service.
Work continues to connect a further 9800 premises within the region by the end of the year.
It is expected that homes and businesses in Branxton, East Branxton, Greta, Nulkaba, Rothbury and North Rothbury will be able to connect from late June, followed by parts of Cessnock, Bellbird and Bellbird Heights in the next month.
The activation is expected to occur in Ellalong, Millfield and Paxton from early November.
“This is great news for Cessnock region as it means by the end of the year, all residents and businesses will have access to a network which is both fast and reliable; something that has been desperately needed in regional Australia,” NBN Co spokesperson Marcela Balart said.
Telstra area general manager Tricia Wilson said the reliable speeds of the NBN would open up new possibilities for locals including faster streaming and less buffering, home automation, and new possibilities in agriculture.
“As the gateway to the vineyards of the Hunter Valley and a cattle farming community, the NBN gives locals the opportunity to take advantage of emerging technologies like smart farming, to work more efficiently with suppliers and build their business effectively without leaving home,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Kurri Kurri area will have to wait until next year to access the fibre-to-the-node technology.
Construction to connect 7200 premises in parts of Kurri Kurri, Abermain, Weston and Heddon Greta is expected to start in April next year, with the switch set to take place in September 2018.
Works to connect more than 570 homes and businesses on the outskirts of Kurri Kurri through fixed wireless technology will start in July this year, and it is expected these premises will be able to progressively start making the switch from December this year through to the second half of next year.
While the NBN promises to deliver faster internet speeds, Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon says many people across his electorate have experienced serious and ongoing issues around the transition to fibre-to-the-node NBN connection.
“Feedback from Hunter constituents in Lake Macquarie who have already swapped to the NBN service have experienced drop-out problems with both the internet and their land lines, or find the new system slower than their old ADSL2 service,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“The few in the Hunter who are receiving Turnbull's second-rate NBN tell me their ADSL2 was better.”
Mr Fitzgibbon has continued to campaign on the importance of improving the digital divide between capital cities those who live in rural and regional Australia.
“There is a very significant divide of disadvantage in the regions,” he said.
“Australians were promised fast and reliable broadband at affordable prices to be delivered by the end of 2016, but this Government has shown consumers nothing but contempt.
“As Malcolm Turnbull’s copper NBN rolls out, it’s becoming increasingly clear that its reliance on outdated technology is leaving consumers stranded with slow speeds and unacceptably high drop-out rates.”
Making the switch to the NBN network is not automatic. People can find out whether they are eligible to connect by using the Check Your Address function at www.nbnco.com.au/switch.
