Regional Australia's broadband upgrade

More than half a million homes and businesses in regional and rural Australia will have access to fast broadband following an upgrade to nbn’s fixed wireless service.

Using radio signals from nbn ground stations, the technology delivers fast broadband by transmitting data to equipment inside and outside the home.

It is designed to provide access to wholesale speeds of up to 50 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, which is currently 30% faster than the next best fixed wireless global peer in Ireland.

This would see users being able to download a two-hour podcast in around three minutes, or downloading a two-hour HD movie in around 16 minutes.

Unlike mobile wireless services where speeds can be affected by the number of people moving into an area, nbn said its fixed wireless service is designed to deliver fast and reliable broadband to regions which often experience lags and dropouts.

“By the time we complete the nbn network rollout in 2020, this world-leading broadband service will provide more than half a million homes and businesses living in regional and rural Australia with access to faster internet speeds that rival what their city cousins have available today,” said Gavin Williams, executive general manager of fixed wireless and satellite products.

The service is currently installed in a number of communities across Australia including Bendigo in Victoria, Pinjarra in Western Australia, Mackay in Queensland and Adelaide Hills in South Australia.

The announcement follows a recent Akamai report which ranked Australian internet speeds at 46th globally, demonstrating the need to provide better access to fast broadband for Australians.

“Following the launch of Sky Muster, nbn’s first satellite, this milestone is yet another critical part of our plan to help bridge the nation’s digital divide,” said Williams.

“We’re closer than ever before to being on a level playing field between the city and the bush by providing kids in rural areas with access to digital textbooks, farmers with the latest technology and creating a world of new possibilities for regional small businesses.”

Image courtesy of nbn