Labor releases national NBN maps: pics
At a press conference in Perth today, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Communications Minister Stephen Conroy released maps detailing the fibre, wireless and satellite footprint of the National Broadband Network (NBN).
Gillard reiterated in her statement that the NBN footprint had been extended to cover 93 per cent of the population.
The maps see all major metro and regional population centres getting access to fibre to the home (FTTH) from the NBN, with others covered in the wireless and satellite footprint.
Both the communications minister and the Prime Minister said in today's press conference that the NBN was being delivered on time, on budget and would pay for itself.
In the press conference, Gillard highlighted that the NBN was an investment in Australia's future which would drive advances in the e-health sector.
After a nine-month NBN roll-out, customers are going live on Tasmania's NBN. Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett and supposedly Communications Minister Stephen Conroy too have thrown their support behind an NBN opt-out system.
Gillard highlighted that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said that he would scrap the NBN project if elected. The coalition is yet to announce its overarching ICT strategy in the run-up to the election.
Victoria is the state that will see the most FTTH infrastructure rolled out, if the maps are accurate.