Parts of Darley could fall victim to a ‘digital divide’, with the National Broadband Network Company (NBNCo) refusing to confirm whether it will deliver high-speed broadband to the area.
Moorabool mayor Paul Tatchell says the community wants confirmation the development of the area north of Wittick Street, listed as a fibre-serving area on previous maps, will go ahead as planned.
“NBNCo needs to confirm that the technology, speed and costs … in this part of Darley are the same as promised, advertised and implemented in the rest of the town,” Cr Tatchell said.
“[NBNCo has] spent too much time consulting in our community and designing the network to deliver anything else than the fully funded, minimum 100 megabits per second connection.”
NBNCo has consistently assured Bacchus Marsh, Maddingley and Darley residents it will roll out fibre-to-home services at no charge to users as part of federal government plans.
The company has since told the council it is “unwilling” to confirm the status of parts of the rollout, sparking fears about its future.
More than 200 premises in Bacchus Marsh began connecting to the National Broadband Network in February when it became the first Victorian country area to join the network.
“Neighbours receiving different service levels and costs after being promised the same service is simply unacceptable,” Cr Tatchell said. ‘‘Any change will instantly create a digital divide in the same street.”
Cr Tatchell’s plea comes after the NBN’s three-year rollout plans were scrapped, with the federal government pulling the plug on residents in Ballan and Myrniong.
Before September’s election, the towns had been included in online maps that included places that were scheduled to have the broadband service delivered in the next three years. Those maps have since been removed.
A spokeswoman said NBNCo was undertaking a review of the rollout.
“The new maps [on the website] are an accurate picture of the state of the rollout as it stands today,” she said.
