The Federal Government has opened the first Queensland National Broadband Network site after Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan launched the service.

 

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Conroy, said the NBN provides businesses and industry the opportunity to capitalise on rapid communications and new models of service delivery and would provide Townsville the opportunity to showcase improvements in the way healthcare is delivered.

 

"The NBN will provide the connectivity to allow telehealth services – such as the application to assist diabetes patients profiled at today’s launch – to become part of the primary healthcare system between a patient at home and their GP," Senator Conroy said.

 

"Townsville will continue into a trial phase, which is due to run until October. After that, residents and businesses connected to the NBN will be able to sign up with their preferred retail service provider."

 

Townsville is the fourth site on mainland Australia to have the NBN switched on.

 

On 3 August this year, NBN Co announced that progressive construction would start on the rollout of the NBN in second release sites in New South Wales, Queensland and the ACT.

 

The construction includes new sites in Queensland at Springfield Lakes, Toowoomba and Aspley in the metropolitan area of Brisbane, in New South Wales at Riverstone in Western Sydney and Coffs Harbor, and in the ACT at Gungahlin. It also includes extensions to existing works in Armidale and Kiama (NSW) and Townsville (QLD).

 

The first of the nine second release sites and the extension to existing works in Townsville is expected to commence in September 2011.

 

NBN Co is negotiating construction contracts for the second release sites in other states and the Northern Territory, and expects to finalise arrangements in the near future.