The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, visited Mt Isa this week to launch the first fibre-optic backbone link being laid for the National Broadband Network (NBN) on mainland Australia.
“Backbone infrastructure provides the communication links that connect our towns, cities and rural areas to each other and the world,” Senator Conroy said.
Nextgen Networks is carrying out the construction work as part of the NBN Regional Backbone Blackspot Program.
“This fibre-optic backbone link will run from Darwin, through central and south-east Queensland to Toowoomba, as part of the government’s $250 million program,” Conroy said.
“One of the biggest obstacles for fast broadband in Mt Isa has been the lack of competitive fibre-optic backbone services.
Once complete, this link will allow other broadband providers to enter the market and offer faster broadband speeds, cheaper prices and more choice for people and businesses across the region.”
In total, this program will see nearly 6 000 km of new backbone links constructed across five separate routes. Mt Isa is the midway point along the 3835 km route from Darwin to Toowoomba, and the longest of the five regional backbone links to be constructed under the program.
“This is a massive construction project for the long-term benefit of the region."
Construction of the Darwin, Mt Isa, Emerald and Longreach link will take around 18 months and, once complete, will directly benefit more than 160,000 people in more than 40 regional locations across the Northern Territory and Queensland.
“In total, the five links will connect more than 100 regional locations and benefit approximately 395,000 people in regional Australia.”