NBN Co names more FTTN cities and towns in path for fibre upgrade

NBN Co has unveiled the second group of suburbs and towns that are currently served with fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) but will now be partially overbuilt with fibre. 

The release of the so-called “second tranche” coincides with NBN Co’s half-year results, and covers about 100,000 premises.

They are named as:

• Western Australia: Girrawheen, Kingsley, Wanneroo, Canning Vale, Jandakot South 
• South Australia: Elizabeth, Gepps Cross, Sailsbury, Golden Grove
• Victoria: Deer Park, Sydenham, Berwick South, Cranbourne, Narre Warren
• NSW: Campbelltown, Elderslie, Narellan, Maitland, Singleton, Tarro, New Lambton, Bathurst, Orange 
• Queensland: Albany Creek, Ashgrove, Bald Hills, Ferny Hills, Townsville, Robina, Burleigh Heads

The first tranche, named in October last year, also covered about 100,000 premises.

The upgrades are being conducted under a $2.9 billion program announced by NBN Co last year.

“NBN Co started work in October 2020 to extend fibre deeper into communities in selected metropolitan and regional areas of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, with a plan to pass more than 200,000 premises in areas currently serviced by FTTN technology,” NBN Co said in a statement.

“The company will progressively continue to select, design and construct new fibre extensions over the next two years and is aiming to pass around 2 million premises by the end of 2023.”

NBN Co has previously said that it "will proactively build a Local Fibre Network (LFN) from the existing node placing fibre deeper into neighbourhoods."

"The fibre already built to the nodes as part of the FTTN build, known as the Distribution Fibre Network (DFN), will be utilised and incorporated to deliver new FTTP services," it said.

"Fibre lead-ins from street frontages to individual premises will only be built when customers order higher speed plans."

Customers will need to satisfy certain conditions to place an order, which are still being debated.

The most recent proposal being shopped to retail service providers is a minimum 250Mbps order and potentially a minimum contract term in order to qualify.

NBN Co said its "area selection criteria" for towns and suburbs to be partially overbuilt with fibre "remains consistent".

"This includes areas where the company anticipates strong demand for higher speeds; where it can deploy with speed and agility; where it is cost-effective to start work now; and in a way that the investment is most likely to spread and multiply economic activity across the nation," NBN Co said in a statement.