There’s a small percentage of the population that’s going to miss out on fibre as the NBN rolls out around the country, and that percentage is going to get wireless. That rollout took a big step forward today according to Mitchell Bingeman at the The Australian, with NBN Co purchasing spectrum from Pay TV operator Austar.
The deal, which is worth $120 million, will see NBN Co walk away with Austar’s 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz spectrum for delivering a minimum of 12Mbps fixed wireless services to rural Australians. The first commercial services are expected to be launched in the middle of 2012.
With the NBN steaming ahead for both the wireless and fibre parts of the plan hopefully the opposition will have a change of heart about killing the project completely should they come into power.