SEVEN new fixed-wireless towers will be built in the New England and will bring fast broadband to an extra 1700 premises, New England MP Barnaby Joyce said on Tuesday.
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The towers will cost about $10 million and will join 25 other fixed-wireless towers already in place.
They will go live on the Armidale-Grafton Road, at Invergowrie and Rockvale Road and at Bundarra, Mr Joyce said.
When installed the towers will offer wholesale download speeds of up to 25 megabits per second and wholesale upload speeds of up to five megabits per second to telephone and internet service providers.
Fixed-wireless services are delivered by radio communications via antennas that transmit a signal direct to a small outdoor antenna on homes and businesses.
A signal quality test would be carried out before the network equipment was installed, Mr Joyce said.
Premises unable to be served by fixed-wireless may be able to receive NBN Co’s long-term satellite service when it becomes available. Visit www.nbnco.com.au/satellite for more information.
In fixed-wireless areas, copper phone lines will remain in place to provide a landline telephone service, if the end user chooses to use it.
A standard installation of NBN equipment is currently free of charge. Residents should ask their preferred service provider if they have any other fees.
