Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor says many parts of Wollondilly Shire are now able to experience the benefits of fast and reliable broadband following the switch-on of the nbn.

“It’s an exciting time to be in the Wollondilly as thousands of homes and businesses are now able to access nbn’s high-speed fixed-line network. I would encourage constituents to contact their preferred phone or internet provider to see what plans are available,” he said.

Parts of Picton (1695 premises), Oakdale, The Oaks, Belimbla Park (1237) and Appin (511) are now ready for service on nbn’s fixed-line network.

The Couridjah, Tahmoor, Thirlmere, Yanderra, Buxton and Bargo fixed-line rollout is scheduled for switched-on by mid-October this year.

Fixed wireless towers at Belimbla Park South, Balmoral, Bargo North, Tahmoor East and on the outskirts of Couridjah are under construction - while planning is well underway for other sites near Mount Hunter and Brownlow Hill, Cobbitty, Glenmore West and Werombi.

“This rollout heralds in a new era of telecommunications for the Wollondilly local government area,” Mr Taylor said.

“Many of those premises in a ready for service location have already made the connection through their retail provider or are awaiting connection, including 311 in Picton and 127 in Appin - an excellent take-up rate in just a few weeks.

“There are dozens of retail service providers competing for business so I encourage residents and business to shop around for the best deal.”

Making the switch to fast and reliable broadband is not automatic.

You can find out whether you are eligible to connect to the nbn network by visiting www.nbnco.com.au/switch or view the rollout map at: http://www.nbnco.com.au/learn-about-the-nbn/rollout-map.html.

Mr Taylor said the National Broadband Network rollout (nationally) continued to exceed its connection and financial targets. “nbn’s 2016 full-year results are the latest evidence of the benefits of the Coalition’s faster, more affordable nbn rollout,” he said.

“The nbn has now hit each of its targets for nine consecutive quarters – an unbroken run for over two years, and shows that the Coalition’s multi-technology mix nbn is enabling more Australians to experience the benefits of high-speed broadband as quickly as possible.

“There are now close to 1.2 million paying customers on the nbn network. That’s up from just 51,000 customers connected to the built network when Labor was in charge of the rollout – more than 20 times as many customers in less than three years.

“The cost of living matters to the Coalition, so the Government has instructed nbn to continue rolling out the network as economically as possible.

“This is in sharp contrast to Labor’s latest broadband policy that would have added $8 billion more to the cost of the nbn network – a cost that would have hit every family’s monthly internet bill.”

More than one-quarter of Australian homes and businesses can now access an nbn service, and the company is aiming to reach almost half of all households by mid-2017.

Hume electorate nbn rollout key points (as of 15 July 2016):

• There are 10,415 homes and businesses ready for service – and of these, 2804 had an active connection

• The rollout for a further 40,972 homes and businesses is under constructio

• About 43,130 premises are covered in the fixed-line rollout plan

• About 4260 homes and businesses are covered in the fixed wireless rollout

• There are 8225 premises eligible to order the satellite service