National Broadband Network: Regional Backbone Blackspots Program

As part of the Australian Government's commitment to deliver a National Broadband Network that will provide superfast broadband to Australian homes and workplaces, it is investing up to $250 million to immediately address backbone blackspots throughout regional Australia.

Backbone links are the broadband highways that connect our cities, towns and rural areas to the wider world. Enhancing backbone competition assists broadband and telephony providers to improve the range, quality and prices of the services they offer in regional areas.

The objectives of the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program are to:

• deliver an immediate economic stimulus
• reduce the cost of broadband services
• put in place key infrastructure for the roll-out of the National Broadband Network.

Nextgen Networks is responsible for the rollout of approximately 6000 km of backbone infrastructure, as well as operating and maintaining the backbone transmission links for an initial five-year period.

Construction along all five RBBP links—Geraldton, South West Gippsland, Victor Harbor, Broken Hill and Darwin—is now complete. New and improved services are already offered by internet service providers in Geraldton, Victor Harbor and South West Gippsland. Nextgen is currently in the process of connecting retail service providers to the new competitive backbone link in Broken Hill and along Darwin, Emerald and Longreach route.

• Media release: Darwin, Emerald and Marathon fibre backbone link now open for business
• Media release: New 1150km Broken Hill Broadband Backbone Link now "open for business"
• Media release: Perth to Geraldton fibre optic link now complete
• Media release: Victor Harbor Fibre Backbone Link Complete
• Media release: Faster and cheaper broadband in SA

Maps of the RBBP links are provided below.

Status updates on each route are available on the interactive Initiatives in your area map.

Geraldton (WA)

• Geraldton map (PDF, 341 KB)

Darwin (NT), Emerald and Longreach (QLD)

• Darwin map (PDF, 454 KB)

Broken Hill (NSW)

• Broken Hill map (PDF, 380 KB)

Victor Harbor (SA)

• Victor Harbor map (PDF, 361 KB)

South West Gippsland (VIC)

• South West Gippsland map (PDF, 375 KB)

All links (Australia wide)

• All links map (PDF, 435 KB)

This infrastructure will provide new backbone transmission links to more than 100 regional locations along the routes to the priority locations. It will enhance competition and encourage retail service providers to improve the range, quality and prices of broadband and telephony services available to Australians in regional areas.

Contact information

If you would like more information regarding this program, please contact:

Regional Backbone Blackspots Program Oversight Section
Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
GPO Box 2154
Canberra ACT 2601
Email: regionalbackboneblackspots@dbcde.gov.au

Document ID: 111768 | Last modified: 22 December 2011, 11:49am