Several regions in Victoria and WA have been earmarked to receive the NBN via fixed wireless.
Planning has now started for fixed wireless for several WA regions, including in the Great Southern, Wheatbelt, Goldfields-Esperance, South West regions and Peel.
In Victoria, Bendigo, Central Victoria and Northern Victorian regions will be connected to the NBN via fixed wireless across eight council areas. Planning is also underway for fixed wireless in the Goulburn Valley, North East Victorian regions, the Bass Coast and South and East Gippsland regions.
All areas will be switched onto the NBN via fixed wireless from late 2013 to 2015.
Around 2300 sites around Australia will use existing telecommunications structures for the NBN’s fixed wireless network.
NBN Co will also build some facilities, which requires consultation with local authorities and communities to gain planning approval and building permits.
NBN Co recently notched up a win over approval for a fixed wireless facility in Scottsdale, Tasmania, winning an appeal to build a fixed wireless facility in the area after it was rejected by Dorset council.
However, NBN Co will still need to overcome several other hurdles for the construction of NBN facilities in Tasmania, with NBN Co in dispute over another tower currently before the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal at Garden Island Creek in Tasmania.
The fixed wireless network will provide internet service providers with wholesale access speeds of up to 12Mbps.
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