NBN St Helens
Two hours’ drive east of Launceston, St Helens was discovered in the 1830s and became an important shipping port for both tin and fishing.
Tasmania has been chosen as an NBN test site for the National Broadband Network (NBN).
As part of formulating and testing construction techniques, the government plans to:
“fast-track negotiations with the Tasmanian Government, as suggested by the Panel of Experts, to build upon its National Broadband Network proposal to begin the rollout of a FTTP network and next generation wireless services in Tasmania as early as July.”
After a tender process, Aurora Energy, was chosen to roll-out backhaul fibre between points of interconnect in Tasmania, as well as fibre to the premises in conjunction with Tasmania NBN Co (TNBN Co).
The Tasmanian test sites will be rolled out in three stages. The first stage covers the towns of Midway Point, Scottsdale and Smithton, with intentions to deliver the first NBN services beginning July from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) Internode, iiNet and iPrimus.
Second stage towns include Sorell, Deloraine, George Town, St Helens, Triabunna, Kingston Beach and South Hobart.
90,000 premises will be connected in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie, as part of the roll-out’s third stage.
Two hours’ drive east of Launceston, St Helens was discovered in the 1830s and became an important shipping port for both tin and fishing.
Tasmanian NBN Company (TNBN Co), in conjunction with Aurora Energy, has contracted Lend Lease subsidiary Conneq to build the fibre to 2200 premises in St Helens as part of the Stage 2 Tasmanian NBN test sites.
Construction is due to occur in late July 2011.
Despite poor take-up of stage 1 trial NBN services, opt-out legislation passed by state Parliament in early 2011 will ensure greater availability of services at stage 2 and 3 sites.
The town is one of seven to trial NBN Co’s planned fibre footprint extension subsidy allowing councils or groups to pay for building fibre outside of the planned footprint.