Ararat residents could be waiting an extra four to 10 months for new National Broadband Network internet connections. Social media website users noticed on Friday that nbn, the company behind the internet infrastructure project, had increased its expected Ararat completion dates from June-September 2018 to January-March 2019. Contractors have begun to install NBN infrastructure in Ararat. “Network rollout information is updated weekly. Rollout areas and boundaries are subject to change as construction planning is finalisedm” nbn’s website stated. The change will affect as as yet unknown number of residents and businesses that were scheduled to receive fixed-line NBN services. nbn Local spokesperson Kasey Ellison said Ararat residents could track the progress of the rollout via the nbnco.com.au website. “Construction activities commenced in January to connect about 3400 homes and businesses in parts of Ararat to the nbn broadband access network,” she said. “It is expected these homes and businesses will be able to order a plan from a phone or internet provider in early 2019.  “The estimated dates provided by NBN Co are estimates and we encourage people to use the Check Your Address Function on the nbn website, which is a dynamic database updated weekly with the latest information available from the design and construction team, for updates on when they are eligible to connect and register for email updates.” Most areas within Ararat’s main residential areas will receive Fibre-to-the-Node connections that run fibre optic cable to metal cabinets every few hundred metres then rely on copper phone lines to connect individual customers. Homes and businesses in and around Ararat’s CBD will receive Fibre-to-the-Curb services, which will reduce the distance that connections have to travel via copper wires. A handful of homes in Ararat’s east will receive 100 per cent fibre optic connections as their location would not have archived minimum performance levels with existing copper lines. Areas outside of Ararat can already access NBN via ‘Fixed Wireless’, which delivers internet via mobile phone-style towers and rooftop antennas. An interactive map of which addresses will receive each type of connection and expected completion dates is available on the nbn website.

/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/rex.martinich/c71712e0-2401-4ce3-b4b0-9d25cbc6bb83.jpg/r1_7_1017_581_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg