By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A CORPORATE takeover of the company that owns Geelong’s hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) cable has stymied the region’s NBN rollout.
NBN Co planned to acquire internet provider iiNet’s HFC network for integration into the super-fast broadband rollout.
But the takeover manoeuvres for iiNet, with TPG Telecom and M2 Group making $1.5 billion-plus offers, have put the negotiations on the backburner.
Neighbourhood Cable developed the local HFC network before being sold to TransACT, which iiNet then bought.
The setback has alarmed Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson who has written to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull appealing for an “expedited” NBN rollout in Geelong.
Ms Henderson said the situation left many families and small businesses in a “precarious” position.
“In the Geelong suburbs of Grovedale, Belmont, Highton, Waurn Ponds and Marshall many local residents are struggling to obtain an adequate broadband connection,” Ms Henderson wrote.
“Some residents have no access to ADSL at all due to the fact there are no ports at the local exchange.
“These are areas of rapid population growth being serviced by only one exchange.
“As a result, many families and small businesses in Victoria’s largest regional city have been left in a precarious situation.
“While I appreciate that NBN Co plans to integrate Geelong’s HFC cable network into its network, there has been no progress on acquiring the HFC network from iiNet to date.
“This is incredibly disappointing, exacerbated by the fact that iiNet is the subject of a takeover bid by at least one other telecommunications company.
“I have advocated very strongly to NBN Co including to its CEO, Bill Morrow, that the rollout of the NBN to Geelong’s southern suburbs must be expedited.
“Accordingly, I write to request that NBN Co abandon its policy of waiting until the HFC network can be acquired in Geelong and immediately commence plans to “infill” the NBN in the southern suburbs in Geelong where HFC cable is not available.”
Ms Henderson said a planned rollout of the NBN to 40,000 premises in the Bellarine Peninsula and Colac Otway, Golden Plains and Surf Coast shires had been “well-received”.
