Parts of Morley, Nollamara, Noranda and Dianella set to have NBN access earlier than planned

RESIDENTS and workers in parts of Morley, Nollamara, Noranda and Dianella are set to have access to NBN 12 months earlier than planned, after WA Senator Peter Georgiou secured a commitment from NBN Co to start construction later this year.

NBN Co planned to roll-out its services in Morley and surrounding suburbs by December 2019, but now NBN Co expected people to order services over the access network by about June 2019.

The average speed in the area could be as low as 0.3 megabytes per second.

Mr Georgiou said he pushed the Federal Government for fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) technology to be rolled out for the whole Morley area and not just Galleria Shopping Centre, but it was going to be too costly.

“We’ve had cases in Perth where children and high school students have been forced to go to friends houses or to relatives nearby to do their homework,” he said.

“This should not be happening in what is one of the wealthiest countries in the world and especially for people who are only 10km from the CBD.

“The good news is more people will have improved access to modern technology which should make their lives easier.”

A NBN Co spokeswoman said the technology type and timing in Morley and surrounding suburbs was subject to change.

“Construction is expected to commence to connect the remaining parts of Morley, Dianella, Noranda and Nollamara during the second half of this year,” she said.

“In general it takes around six to nine months from the start of construction until people can order services over the NBN access network, and we expect residents and business owners in these areas will be able to order a service by around June 2019.

“The rollout in Morley, Dianella, Noranda and Nollamara is set to include fibre-to-the-node and FTTC, and the Galleria Shopping Centre, which is in the early stages of planning, is currently expected to receive FTTC.”

The spokeswoman said it was not unusual for technology types or rollout dates to change as NBN Co were working to complete works as quickly as possible, particularly in underserved areas.

“Decisions regarding the construction timetable are solely based on factors such as availability of construction resources, access to infrastructure, and the density and type of premises in the area.

“NBN Co is committed to providing a minimum wholesale download speeds of 25Mbps, regardless of technology, to all Australian homes and businesses by 2020.”

For more information, visit https://www.nbnco.com.au.

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