First new broad-acre development connected to the NBN

Today the Minister for Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy and NBN Co Chief Executive Mike Quigley announced the first new broad-acre development to be connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Residents living in the Bunya Estate, at Doonside in Sydney's west, will be among some of the first in the country to access superfast* broadband speeds offered over the NBN's fibre network.

Out on site today in Western Sydney Senator Stephen Conroy and NBN Co Chief Executive, Mike Quigley, toured the estate and tested live services and applications like IPTV, video conferencing, gaming consoles and IP phones available in the display homes at Bunya, a Landcom Development**.

NBN Co Chief Executive Mike Quigley said, "I'm pleased that residents in new housing developments can now start to take full advantage of the social and economic benefits offered by high speed broadband. Companies like Microsoft, Samsung, Fetch TV,Telstra and Internode that are here today displaying their high speed applications have anticipated the digital home of the future and the NBN is live in this estate supporting these applications.

"Bunya is not a trial site, the display homes in this estate have been connected to the NBN and have live telephone and high speed internet services delivered over the NBN fibre network. Residential houses are in the final stages of completion on site and new residents will have access to services delivered over the NBN as soon as they move in."

"More than1.9 million new premises are estimated to be constructed across Australia during the life of the NBN rollout. NBN Co has already received more than 2,200 new development applications for fibre infrastructure nationally. This represents over 176,000 premises and we continue to receive about 50 new applications each week."

Simultaneously with Bunya as part of our New Developments rollout we have rolled fibre out into two other new developments in NSW and we plan to switch on fibre in new developments in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia this month giving premises in those developments access to services over the NBN fibre network from participating Retail Service Providers," Mike Quigley said.

"Our network construction and activation in new housing estates is demand driven and timed to ensure the network is switched on and that residents can order a service from their participating Retail Service Provider of choice when they move in," Mike Quigley said.

Landcom General Manager Development North, Kerry Robinson said, "Residents of this housing estate, like others we have planned or are building, can now enjoy an affordable and modern home in parklike surrounds, a community atmosphere, and access to superfast broadband.

"Mum or Dad can commute in the conventional way, or they could look to telecommute using the speeds available at their fingertips. Similarly, they or their children can take up education opportunities online. High-speed home entertainment options also exist of course and are expected to multiply**."

Urban Development Institute of Australia NSW CEO, Stephen Albin said, "It's great to see a development in NSW as the first cab off the rank as part of NBN Co's new developments rollout. We've all worked hard to ensure developers can take advantage of the NBN. Residents buying homes in new developments expect the latest and greatest from developers and that now includes having world class broadband as well."

Installing fibre in new developments provides an opportunity to maximise efficiency and lower costs by using existing open trenches and preparing homes as they are being constructed. NBN Co continues to work closely with the development industry to ensure that new developments across the country will have access to the NBN.

Under the Government's policy, developers of new housing estates in Australia install pit and pipe infrastructure to NBN Co specifications and standards. The Government's policy is also for NBN Co and Telstra to be the fibre infrastructure providers of last resort in circumstances where the developer does not choose an alternative provider.

*The speeds actually experienced by end-consumers will depend on a number of factors including the retail broadband plan they choose, their equipment and their in-premises connection.

**You will need the right software, equipment and in-premises connection to access these services.

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

• Residential and commercial tenants/owners in new developments will be among the first in Australia to be connected to the NBN
• Fibre and related network infrastructure in Stage One of Bunya estate was constructed to NBN specifications by contractor Fujitsu and its sub-contractor Service Stream
• Bunya is a housing development of Landcom and covers 88 hectares. Stage One consists of 112 lots or premises, and all five stages will total 730 lots. See www.bunyaliving.com.au for information about the estate
• Government policy requires NBN Co to be the provider of last resort responsible for the installation of fibre in developments within the fibre footprint of:
  • 100 or more premises approved after 1 January 2011
  • Developments in areas where NBN Co has already rolled out fibre and the fibre is ready for service and capable of connection, and
  • New developments within areas where NBN Co has announced it will roll out fibre within the coming 12-months
• NBN Co may also provide fibre infrastructure in smaller developments where it is practicable for it to do so
• The Federal Government announced its 'Fibre in New Developments Policy' in June 2010. See http://www.dbcde.gov.au/broadband/national_broadband_network/fibre_in_new_developments for details about the policy (updated in June 2011)
• The new developments rollout is different to the wider NBN rollout in that it is demand driven, and NBN Co is committed to providing ready service connections in line with the first residents moving into an estate under its New Developments Process
• NBN Co has been working closely with the land development industry over the past eight months to ensure that the changes are understood and that NBN Co's processes align with the needs of the industry. Initiatives undertaken by NBN Co have included:
  • Land development focus groups
  • Industry association briefings
  • Builder briefings in all States and Territories
  • Ongoing review and releases of technical guidelines, and
  • The introduction of an account management model ensuring that the land development industry has a single point of contact to assist with their queries related to the roll out of network infrastructure within a particular development

Brendan Elliott, NBN Co - 0418 869 934

Robert Sullivan, Landcom - 0447 268 346

Stephen Albin, UDIA CEO - 0431 084 651

Bianca Devine, Blacktown City Council - 0423 023 773

Tracy Welller-McCormack, Fujitsu - 0414 827 044

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