‘Gig State’ to rival NBN: NSW plans fibre rollout as federal government tables regional broadband tax
Isabelle Lane 6:00am, May 12, 2020 Updated: 41m ago
The NSW government is planning to build its own regional fibre broadband network, potentially undercutting the NBN. Photo: Getty/TND
The New South Wales government is planning to roll out its own fibre broadband network that could undercut the NBN in regional areas, despite the federal government pushing a new regional broadband tax.
The $51 billion NBN is approaching its June completion deadline, but the NSW government last week confirmed it intends to own and operate its own high-speed network in several regional towns, which would compete directly with the federal government’s mixed-technology network.
The news comes as the Morrison government’s proposed regional broadband tax, which is designed to help subsidise the cost of maintaining the NBN’s regional infrastructure, is set to go before Parliament.
The tax on retail providers of $7.10 per month per non-NBN fixed-line broadband user will come into effect on July 1, if the Regional Broadband Scheme Bill passes the Senate this week.
The funds would be used to prop up NBN Co’s loss-making fixed wireless and satellite networks in regional and remote Australia.
A spokesperson for Morrison government Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said the scheme would “provide long-term sustainable funding arrangements in place to provide essential broadband services to regional, rural and remote Australians”.
“Regional broadband services will be superior under the proposal because there will be a stable, long-term funding base, so NBN Co can invest in regional Australia with certainty of a secure funding base,” they said.
“In metropolitan Australia, competition will now occur on its merits as all competing fixed-line carriers are required to equally contribute to the costs of regional broadband.”
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https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/20 ... gig-state/