In recent updates to its broadband rollout plans, NBN Co has pushed back the expected delivery of its FTTB (fibre-to-the-building or fibre-to-the-basement) product until early 2015 and marked a September 2014 date for its FTTP services in areas where rival provider TPG poses a competitive threat.
In a May hearing with the Senate Select Committee on the National Broadband Network, NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow and COO Greg Adcock confirmed that NBN Co intended to begin the race to connect apartment buildings by using fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology until their own FTTB product is ready. At the time they estimated that the FTTB product would be ready around October 2014.
The amended FTTB release date is listed on the NBN’s Integrated Product Roadmap (the July edition of which can be viewed here) and states that all processes and systems for the initial FTTB services product will be released in the first quarter of 2015.
Meanwhile, NBN Co is bringing forward its FTTP rollout in some of the areas where TPG is rolling out their rival FTTB network. TPG has begun trials of their product and begun construction in a number of areas throughout Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
The Telstra Wholesale NBN rollout schedule indicates that NBN Co.’s FTTP product will be ready for service in a number of the affected areas (Haymarket and Millers Point in Sydney; Teneriffe, New Farm and Fortitude Valley in Brisbane and South Melbourne and the Docklands in Melbourne) by the end of September, 2014.
