NSW Central Coast eyes NBN fibre 'pilot' status

Gosford City Council has petitioned the Government to consider making the NSW Central Coast a "pilot region" for full fibre deployment under the rejigged National Broadband Network project.

Council's general manager, Paul Anderson, wrote to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull seeking his consideration of the pilot proposal, which is being driven by grassroots advocates.

Council passed a motion in mid-November last year to "make an urgent submission" to the Federal Government and to the Senate Select Committee on the NBN.

The motion urged that the "Central Coast of NSW ... be a pilot region for the complete roll out of fibre-to-the-premises, providing a living cost-benefit analysis of the value of a predominantly fibre optic broadband rollout."

Anderson indicated in his submission that a "united regional effort" had initially attracted NBN commitments for the Central Coast from the previous Labor Government.

He said that the project had since been factored into regional plans and strategies, and he urged the present Government not to deviate significantly from plans of the former Government.

If the NSW Central Coast were to become a "living cost-benefit analysis" for full FTTP deployment, it would not be the first. Research is already being carried out on the impact of NBN fibre deployment on the NSW North Coast and in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.

The Government has committed to a cost-benefit analysis to be conducted by a "panel of experts". It is expected to report to the Government by mid-June.

NBN fibre rollout has so far reached parts of Gosford and Long Jetty on the Central Coast.