Broadband rollout in Tassie

A government-funded project will see the rollout of broadband to 87 sites in rural Tasmania.

The rollout was expected to be completed by December, according to a statement from Daryl Williams, Minister for Communications, IT and the Arts. A pilot project was carried out in Queenstown and Scottsdale last year.

Dubbed 'Broadband for Rural Tasmania Project', the initiative was funded under the federal government's National Communications Fund (NCF). The aim of the fund was to "improve delivery of education and health services in regional areas of Australia through access to better telecommunications, such as broadband technology".

More than 87 sites -- including schools, hospitals and educational facilities -- in 46 towns would be connected to broadband under the project.

NCF provided $3 million in funding for the project. Supplementary funding of $5.3 million and support came from the Tasmanian Government, TAFE Tasmania and the University of Tasmania, according to the statement.