ITWire

The NBN is expected to go live in Smithton, Scottsdale and Midway Point around mid year. NBN Co CEO, Mike Quigley, told a Senate Estimates hearing on 8 February that residents of these communities, "will soon have the opportunity to learn more about the work planned in their neighbourhood at a series of community briefings at local council venues. Further details will soon be issued to residents by mail ahead of the briefings."

According to Quigley: "In the coming weeks and months, the residents of Smithton, Scottsdale and Midway Point will get the opportunity to see for themselves the progress the National Broadband Network in Tasmania has made.

"They will see the fibre being laid and construction workers beginning the process of connecting the first homes to high-speed services...NBN Tasmania also expects to finalise a contract to provide cable drops from the street to the house - an important step in making premises NBN-ready."

He added: "NBN Tasmania will this month open a live network testing facility in Mornington (near) Hobart allowing retail service providers to test and demonstrate live services."

In December, Aurora Energy, on behalf of NBN Tasmania, awarded John Holland a construction contract to roll out the local fibre distribution cable for the NBN.

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