The rapid expansion of NBN's popular fixed wireless network for rural Australia continues with 31 towers having been turned on in June and another 14 expected to go live in July, Minister for Regional Communications Fiona Nash said today.
Fixed wireless towers will serve up to six per cent of Australians, mostly in smaller towns and rural areas.
"Some 31 fixed wireless towers went live around Australia in June, with another 14 to be turned on in coming weeks," Minister Nash said.
“These fixed wireless towers will service areas stretching from Jurien Bay in WA to Port Clinton in SA, through to Somersby in NSW to Lockyer Bay in Queensland.
“Fixed wireless delivers super-fast broadband through 1700 fixed wireless towers around the nation. Some 500,000 Australians can now access fixed wireless services and the current maximum speeds of 50 megabits a second download and 20 megabits a second upload will double to 100 megabits a second download and 40 megabits a second upload early next year.
"Fixed wireless has one of the highest customer satisfaction ratings on the NBN.
"The fixed wireless roll out is flying along and expected to be mostly finished in 2018.
“There’s been multiple great announcements in communications for rural, regional and remote Australia recently.
“Last month I announced a major increase in data allowances to be delivered by the Sky Muster satellite service, with customers soon able to access 100 gigabytes of data at peak times per month. Under Labor, Sky Muster users were set to receive 35 gigabytes a month at peak times."
Since last week, two thirds of premises outside major urban areas in Australia have been able to order NBN services.
Fixed wireless broadband network expands across rural Australia
- · Another 45 fixed wireless towers activated across June and July
- · Adds to the existing network of 1700 fixed wireless towers
- · Fixed wireless has highest customer satisfaction rating