NBN Co last week announced that a series of fixed wireless towers had gone live on the Far South Coast.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NBN Co spokeswoman Kelly Stevens said this meant more than 1200 homes and businesses around Merimbula were now able to experience the benefits of fast and reliable broadband through the NBN network.
Four towers at Bemboka, Candelo Town, Merimbula surrounds and Wolumla are now live servicing 1200 premises with a further two towers servicing 470 premises at Mogo and Eurobodalla.
According to the NBN Co website, the tower located on Merimbula Drive won’t actually service most of Merimbula and will instead service residents living in Millingandi and only a small part of Merimbula. Part of Pambula Beach will have access, however residents living in Pambula, Mirador and Tura Beach will have to wait for more upgrades to the network.
The spokeswoman said the wireless towers were very different to a mobile tower.
“If you connect to a fixed wireless tower you are guaranteed a certain level of service. People can’t jump on and off a fixed wireless tower like they can a mobile tower. This means that when you have a huge influx of people during certain holidays it will have no affect on your service.”
To avoid congestion fixed wireless towers are locked meaning only a certain number of premises are able to connect to each tower. Ms Stevens said accessing broadband through the NBN is not automatic.
To connect, people need to contact their phone or internet provider who will make all the arrangements.”
Telstra general manager for ACT and Southern NSW Chris Taylor said Telstra customers in the catchment area with a broadband only connection will be able to get up to 50 Megabits per second (Mbps).
He also said people can contact Telsta who will use a service qualification tool to determine whether their area has suitable coverage.
Mr Taylor said Telstra customers who need to have a guaranteed phone connection are able to choose to have their data on the fixed wireless network and their phone on a traditional copper network. This means that if there is a power outage that effects the fixed wireless network, their phone line would still work.
With only 1200 premises in limited areas of the Far South Coast able to gain access to the NBN, most residents will have to wait for further upgrades to the network.
“I cannot say when the rest of Merimbula will be hooked up to the NBN network but what I can say is that everyone in Australia will get access to the NBN which will be rolled out in a number of stages,” the NBN spokeswoman said.