LAUNCESTON will become Tasmania’s only city with full fibre-optic access to the National Broadband Network, according to NBN’s 18-month rollout plan.
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Fifty per cent of Launceston’s inner suburbs will be connected to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) NBN by September.
A multi-technology mix – including fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) connections – will be delivered to Burnie, Devonport and Hobart, with the capital also scheduled for further FTTP connections.
Launceston alderman and IT company Autech chief Darren Alexander said the plans gave the city leverage in attracting digital businesses.
‘‘If that’s the case, there is an absolutely exciting opportunity for Launceston and the Northern region,’’ Alderman Alexander said.
‘‘We are really a hub for the surrounding regions, it is important that we all work together to perhaps have a strategy and a plan about how we can best exploit this.
‘‘If it was me, being in a retail space, I would have an online business and an offline business offering different products and services at different prices to allow for it to compete on a more global or interstate scheme.’’
Launceston Chamber of Commerce executive officer Maree Tetlow said the fibre connection, mixed with low cost-rates and wages created an ideal chance for businesses to thrive.
‘‘I think we should definitely do more as a community to take greater advantage of our connectiveness and NBN optic fibre,’’ Ms Tetlow said.
‘‘It would be good for us to have a more co-ordinated business attraction group that had some funds behind it – it’s a matter of where we get the funds to actively pursue that.
‘‘There is an opportunity to attract more businesses here.’’
Information was found in NBN’s multi-technology rollout plan for scheduled construction work up to September 2016, released in April.