Optic fibre will be rolled out across the towns of Cowra, Young, Cootamundra, Harden and Grenfell, allowing residents to connect to fast broadband. Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said NBN Co had announced its 3 year rollout plan for fast broadband and there was now clarity for all communities in his electorate.

“Fibre will be rolled out to Cowra and Young townships early next year. Fibre will be rolled out in Cootamundra township in 2017, allowing 3000 premises to connect. For Harden Murrumburrah and Grenfell, the fixed line network will also be built in the first half of 2017, allowing 1000 premises in each town to be connected,” Mr Taylor said.

He said a fixed wireless tower would be built at Cootamundra in the first half of 2016. Cowra and Young districts already have many fixed wireless towers activated, the first areas in Hume. The NBN Co website map http://www.nbnco.com.au shows large swathes of the district lit up in purple, indicating the NBN service is available.

John Roberts near Darbys Falls connected to the NBN via the Mt McDonald tower which was switched on in September 2015. He says his family hasn’t looked back and ‘the speeds are incredible’.

Mr Taylor said the NBN fixed line and fixed wireless rollout would deliver access to fast broadband to 42,000 premises (businesses and homes) in Hume in the next three years.

He said on rural properties where fibre and fixed wireless networks couldn’t reach, satellite broadband would deliver internet speeds of up to 25 megabits per second. “Satellite broadband is very fast and reliable and, unlike Labor, we’ll be providing enough capacity for regional users. We’ve just successfully launched the first of two new NBN satellites, with satellite connections expected to be available from May next year. Fast broadband is on its way to all of Hume,” Mr Taylor said.

Caption: Angus Taylor says a combination of technologies – fixed wireless towers, fibre rollout in towns and satellite – will deliver fast broadband to all of Hume.