Online mystery across region as NBN is scaled back

Maribyrnong residents and businesses promised access to the National Broadband Network from next year are in limbo after construction details were ditched from NBN Co’s website.

Maidstone, Maribyrnong, Yarraville, Footscray, Seddon, West Footscray and Kingsville were scheduled to be ready for service by July as part of NBN Co’s three-year roll-out plan.

But the Coalition government has scaled back the roll-out and areas not locked into a contract are under review.

It remains unclear whether more than 500,000 homes with previously listed “ready-for-service’’ dates will be connected via fibre or copper phone lines.

“Under Labor, Gellibrand residents were expecting to receive fibre connections in the coming months,” Gellibrand MP Tim Watts said.

“Residents and businesses in Gellibrand will be left with one of two choices: use last century’s archaic technology or find up to $5000 to have fibre connected .”

The government is conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the project.