The first metropolitan National Broadband Network (NBN) has gone live after launching in the inner-eastern Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.

 

The suburb is the third and latest mainland test site to receive the fibre optic-enabled NBN. The fibre network in Brunswick covers approximately 2,689 premises; residents in more than half of these premises consented to having a connection to make their premises “NBN ready”.

 

The trial phase is due to run until late September, after which residents in the Brunswick fibre coverage area are expected to be able to order broadband services over the NBN from retail service providers. To date fourteen customers have been connected as part of the trial in Brunswick, with more service activations in the queue.

 

Work on the NBN in Brunswick began in October 2010 with construction partner Telstra accessing its existing underground infrastructure in order to help minimise the impact of the rollout on the local community. The project also benefited from the close cooperation of Moreland City Council and Mayor Oscar Yildiz.

 

So far 19 retail service providers have signed up to participate in the NBN trial phase, with 10 having passed through NBN Co’s certification process in readiness to test services. They are: AAPT, Adam Internet, Exetel, iiNet, Internode, Nextgen Networks, Optus, Platform Networks, Primus and Telstra.