By Paul Hemsley

The outskirts of Darwin have become the latest areas to be connected to the National Broadband Network’s (NBN) fixed wireless infrastructure to provide internet services to people who previously had limited access to high-speed broadband or were confined to using technology such as dial-up or broadband over the mobile network.

The rollout is part of the government’s broader plan to use fixed wireless services to connect regional and less populated communities to the NBN in areas where it is a faster and more cost effective service alternative to optical fibre.

Previous locations that have been connected to the fixed wireless broadband include the Gympie and Sunshine Coast regions in Queensland, the Northern Rivers in New South Wales and areas in regional South Australia.

NBN Co is encouraging Territorians switch over to the NBN by asking their preferred internet service providers to get the wholesale speeds offered that are up to 12Mbps for downloads and 1Mbps for uploads.

According to NBN Co, there are plans to increase these fixed wireless speeds to 25Mbps for downloads and 5Mbps for uploads from June 2013.

NBN Co general manager for external relations, Trent Williams said people who switch to the NBN now will soon have “access to fast internet at speeds people in the city take for granted”.

Mr Williams said the benefits that can be used through the wireless NBN such as video conferencing and streaming lectures could be less by saving on fixed phone line rentals by bundling internet, phone and other services together.

The areas that have been connected to the wireless in the Darwin outskirts include parts of Berry Springs, Darwin River, Fly Creek North, Lambells Lagoon, Livingstone South, Noonamah East, Southport and Wagait Beach.