mmg.com.au

Northern Victorian farmers and residents should get access to better internet coverage and faster speeds, National Broadband Network has promised after selecting a company to build two new satellites.

National Broadband Network said it would be offering its cheapest monthly package to ISP companies, or retailers, at $24/month.

The company’s communtiy relations adviser Darren Rudd said wireless and satellite options would probably be the most appropriate for rural areas, whereas urban areas would have access to fibre-optic cable. He said the higher speeds offered through the network would be an advantage to rural businesses such as farms which wanted to use new technology for farm control systems.

The new satellites, expected to be launched in 2015 and designed to extend the network’s reach beyond fibre-optic cable, will offer speeds of up to 12Mb/second at the wholesale level.

National Broadband Network Co signed the satellite purchase contract of about $620million with Space Systems/Loral last week.

Mr Rudd said the service should provide internet speeds for rural businesses and residents that were as good or better than those currently enjoyed by people in urban centres.

Victorian Technology Minister Gordon Rich-Phillips said the Victorian Government was committed to ensuring that regional and rural Victoria had a fair share of the rollout, and continued to engage constructively with the Commonwealth Government and NBN Co on its network rollout and program activities.

‘‘The Victorian Government recently expressed concerns about the lack of regional coverage in rollout plans to date, in a submission to the Regional Telecommunications Review,’’ Mr Rich-Phillips said.

‘‘The Victorian Government’s submission points out that there are still significant gaps in access to broadband and mobile telecommunications in Victoria’s regional and rural areas.

‘‘It is the Commonwealth Government’s responsibility to ensure that adequate broadband services are delivered to all Victorians,’’ Mr Rich-Phillips said.