The National Broadband Network Co (NBN Co) has announced its third satellite ground station will be constructed at Geeveston in Tasmania’s Huon Valley.

 

The ground station will act as an essential transmission centre to deliver fixed wireless NBN services to homes, farms and business in remote areas. Locations in Tasmania such as Port Davey, Strathgordon and Cradle Mountain are set to benefit from the service which is expected to be up and running by the end of 2015.

 

“The NBN satellite service is designed to bridge the divide between the city and the bush and ensure all Australians can receive fast broadband. The site at Castle Forbes Bay near Geeveston is ideally located for this purpose. It is also close to reliable power and other infrastructure including the NBN’s core fibre transit network – the main fibre transmission lines linking towns and our exchanges.”

 

Construction of the facility is expected to commence early next year and is scheduled for completion by 2015.

 

The satellite ground station at Geeveston is a key component of NBN Co’s Long Term Satellite Service, designed to bring broadband at speeds of up to 12 Megabits per second to wholesale customers who deliver retail services to homes, farms and businesses in the outback and other isolated parts of Australia.

 

The facility at Castle Forbes Bay is the third of 10 sites to be chosen for an NBN ground station following the announcement of two stations in New South Wales.