NBN adds new technologies to the mix, switching on former Telstra HFC network
The multi-technology NBN is well and truly off the ground with news of the switch-on of services using the former Telstra HFC network.
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NBN is today slotting in another piece of the nation's broadband puzzle with the launch of the first commercial services using the former Telstra HFC network.
While NBN officially switched on HFC services at the end of last month in Queensland, using the former Optus network, it says the repurposed Telstra network will make up the "vast majority" of HFC services delivered to premises across Australia.
Hybrid fibre-coaxial cable technology, which is also used to deliver Foxtel across Australia, is set to connect 200,000 premises by the end of June 2017, with a total of 900,000 ready for service in the same month. NBN also says HFC will eventually cover more than 3 million premises.
The HFC launch is the latest step in the NBN rollout under the Government's revised "multi-technology" roadmap. In April 2014, the Coalition Government announced it would be doing away with the former Labor Government's fibre-focused broadband network in favour of a mix of technologies including fibre to the premises, fibre to the node (utilising legacy copper networks), HFC and satellite.
Optus, TPG and Exetel are offering HFC services from launch, offering speeds of up to 100Mbps down and 40Mbps up.