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NBN Co launches fibre-to-the-building product

How fast? What kit? When? Where? NBN Co's keeping the lid on for now

+Comment NBN Co, the entity charged with building Australia's National Broadband Network, says it has launched its fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) product.

In a statement sent to The Register at 6:00PM on Monday described today's events as a “commercial launch” and features chief customer officer John Simon saying pilots have seen “families and businesses reporting high rates of satisfaction and receiving an average of 89Mbps download and 36Mbps upload.”

“FTTB allows families and businesses in multi-dwelling units (such as apartment complexes and office blocks) to receive fast broadband services by connecting fibre-optic cable to existing building wiring,” the statement says, adding that NBN Co “is already in the process of rolling out FTTB technology to 6,000 homes and businesses in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra” and will eventually do so for a million premises. We could end the story there, because NBN Co isn't saying anything else of note, although there is some stuff about the multi-technology mix plan being a jolly fine thing that will speed up delivery and save money.

+Comment News that NBN Co can start to wire multi-dwelling units with fast broadband and has achieved impressive speeds while doing so is welcome, as is the company's rate of progress.

The way it's made the announcement is less welcome.

The statement we received yesterday about this “launch” had an embargo of 12:01 AM Tuesday. I didn't see it until after dinner, so am writing before tackling a pile of dirty dishes.

I mention this not to complain about my lot as a Reg hack, but to illustrate how NBN Co is going about things at present.

The substance of the statement ran for 441 words, most of it exposition. So we don't know where the 6,000 premises mentioned are. We don't know about the future rollout schedule. We don't know about the equipment NBN co requires in buildings or in premises. And we won't have the chance to ask until tomorrow.

All of which feels a bit like an effort to make the first wave of reporting on this launch rather less-well-informed than is optimal, and probably less critical and/or analytical than would be the case if the announcement were made during business hours when questions are more likely to be answered.

The NBN is a colossal project being built with public money. Might the public appreciate a chance for greater scrutiny? There's a comments field down there. ®

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