Gungahlin residents cheer broadband rollout
Area one of 14 suburbs and regional centers selected
Gungahlin, which is located in North Canberra, was selected as one of the 14 suburbs and regional centers to be included in the next stage of the National Broadband Network's (NBN) network rollout. The news has been met with anticipation among residents, who say that their inclusion in the project will bring the area into the 21st century. For years, residents have complained about the area's substandard Internet services.
In an interview with ABC News, Gary Humphries, a liberal senator, says that a solution to the problem could not have come any sooner. "For the newest township in the ACT its always been surprising that its had less access to high quality broadband than any other part of Canberra, so its about time this issue was attended to," he said.
Now with provisions of high quality broadband Internet, Gungahlin residents are demanding further telecommunications upgrades.
Alan Kerlin , the president of Gungahlin's Community Council says that Telstra faces increased pressure to upgrade its exchange at Grace.
"There just hasn't been any effort to upgrade the hardware and software in that Crace exchange. And it's just not us, it's people out around the Dunlop area, the western end of Belconnen have got similar sorts of problems; it's just been quite atrocious the way Telstra hasn't attempted to keep pace," he said.