The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, recently visited the first NBN fixed wireless customer in the Northern Territory, who is using the NBN’s high-speed broadband to help grow his tropical fruit business.

“Mr Han Shiong Siah owns Tropical Primary Product, a family-owned business located just outside Darwin in Lambells Lagoon. He immediately signed up to the NBN through iPrimus when it became available,” Senator Conroy says.

“On the NBN I now get much faster, more reliable broadband, with a thousand times more data than I was getting before, and all for the same price,” Han says.

“My fruit business demands that I have close and regular contact with my suppliers and customers both here and overseas.

“The NBN makes this connection so much easier and will help me expand my business, hopefully meaning more local jobs.

“I encourage other farmers to get on the NBN to experience the benefits it provides.”

Senator Conroy says small businesses in the Northern Territory will potentially be the biggest beneficiaries of Labor’s NBN.

“Whether on satellite, fixed wireless, or fibre, the NBN levels the playing field for small businesses, helping them compete against larger companies.”

“The NBN’s fixed wireless network is now available to a number of communities outside Darwin, including parts of Berry Springs, Darwin River, Fly Creek North, Lambells Lagoon, Livingstone South, Noonamah East, Southport and Wagait Beach.”

While in Darwin, Senator Conroy also inspected an NBN-ready exchange that will be the point from which the NBN is delivered to over 60,000 premises across the Northern Territory.

“It’s great to see such an important piece of NBN-ready infrastructure completed here in Darwin.

“Now that NBN Co has taken over the rollout in the Northern Territory, we expect that Darwin residents will be able to start connecting to the NBN’s fibre network in the months ahead.”