A window of opportunity exists to get the NBN rolled-out right in Glebe & Forest Lodge – can you help?

If you look at NBN Co’s roll-out map on their website (https://www.nbnco.com.au/residential/learn/rollout-map), you’ll see that a sizeable part of 2037 (covering, roughly, Forest Lodge and the Glebe Estate) is now connected to the NBN. This means that households in those areas can now ‘order plans over the network from a phone or internet service provider’. For the remaining swathe of 2037 (roughly, the St Phillips Estate in the southeast to Glebe Point in the northwest) the NBN ‘build’ has commenced, and for this area, NBN Co has ‘issued contract instructions to construction partners so they can commence work in this area’.

NBN installation in Hereford St. When brought to their attention on 12 April, NBN Co replied that ‘their systems indicate that the estimated date of resolution’ is 12 April. At the end of April, nothing has changed. (image: V.Simpson-Young)

As we already know – and as NBN Co has admitted to us – in the areas already connected, some installations are seriously sub-par and NBN Co has committed to getting them rectified. But we want it done right in the first place! For our streets in which installation has not yet happened, there’s the opportunity to get it right first time.

NBN roll-out volunteer vigilante wanted

What we need is a willing volunteer to have a look around and document the problem areas, so that the Society can make NBN Co aware of the extent of the problem in 2037 and ask them to require their contractors to do it properly for the remaining roll-out. So, are you interested in helping to fix this problem? Can you have a walk around and survey the state of the NBN cable installation in Glebe & Forest Lodge? If you are interested, please contact Edwina Doe at edwinadoe@optusnet.com.au.

The good news

On a more positive note, we are very pleased to see the huge improvement to the cabling to 222 and 224 Bridge Rd, which was fixed after it was drawn to NBN Co’s attention (albeit it a number of times and in a variety of media!).

See what NBN contractors can do if they try! Third time lucky – compare this picture to those on the front of last month’s Bulletin. The conduit to No. 222 Bridge Rd looks much better while the conduit to No. 224 has been routed through the mortar, and is hardly visible. Surely we can expect at least this level of workmanship throughout our heritage suburb? (image: Olivia Moore)