Media Release

Network Operations Centre opened in Tasmania

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy today launched the Network Operations Centre for the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Tasmania.

The Network Operations Centre will assist in making sure customers who connect to the NBN have a robust and reliable service.

“Today’s launch is another important step in the delivery of the NBN in Tasmania."

“In just a few short weeks, residents and businesses in the communities of Midway Point, Smithton and Scottsdale will have access to services under the NBN and the Network Operations Centre is a crucial component of this roll out.”

The Network Operations Centre will:

• take service orders from Retail Service Providers
• coordinate provisioning and fault repairs
• manage network traffic, and
• provide data for billing purposes.

“Three providers – Primus, Internode and iiNet – have signed up to deliver services to Tasmanians. Primus has already released its pricing models and I expect people will soon hear from Internode and iiNet,” Senator Conroy said.

“Already, the Network Operations Centre has received its first batch of connection orders ahead of services starting next month.

“I’m delighted to be back in Tasmania as we get closer to those first services coming online. Tasmanians will be the first in Australia to experience the benefits of the National Broadband Network.”

Community briefings held by NBN Tasmania in Midway Point, Smithton and Scottsdale have been attended by more than 300 people.

“I’m pleased with the level of interest that has been shown by people in the first three communities and I am aware that the number of people providing legal consent for NBN Tasmania to run optic fibre to their premises has been encouraging.”

The Network Operations Centre will be operated by Opticomm, which has developed and delivered the electronics for the Stage 1 network roll out.

Date: 1 June 2010
Contact: Suzie Brady 0408 258 457