The Wyndham area is well advanced in the rollout of the National Broadband Network compared to many other areas across Greater Melbourne, according to the NBN’s manager of state corporate affairs, Michael Moore.
Work to make the NBN available to more than 8500 Wyndham premises has been completed or is in progress, with the state rollout concentrating on poorly serviced areas.
Mr Moore said the arrival of fast and reliable broadband offered many benefits to households as well as big and small businesses.
“For individuals and families, the benefits include greater opportunity to work from home, online learning and access to health services, and expanded entertainment options such as video streaming, entertainment on demand and online games.
“Businesses of all sizes can also benefit, with the opportunity to sell new products and services online, exploit new channels to market, and offer services globally.”
However, Mr Moore’s comments come as many Wyndham Vale residents grow frustrated with the poor internet services presently on offer. Shaun Gordon has no internet access at his Wyndham Vale home as he awaits the introduction of NBN in his street.
He was shocked to learn his home, which was slated to be serviced by the NBN this year, disappeared off the rollout map along with other parts of Wyndham Vale and Werribee.
Mr Gordon is on a waiting list to receive a basic ADSL1 service.
“I work as a network administrator and need the internet for work,” he said.
“I can’t even get the simplest internet installed into our home because there are no free ports; we are isolated.”
Mr Gordon relies on his mobile phone for access to the internet, leaving him with phone bills as high as $200 a month.
Mr Moore confirmed that a section of Werribee and Wyndham Vale had been removed from the construction plan the NBN released publicly in April, but he expected the section to be included in a new construction plan to be released in October.
