The Federal Government has released the final guidelines for its $50 million Metropolitan Broadband Connect program.
"The final guidelines set out the rules for the operation of Metro Broadband Connect and were prepared following extensive public consultation," Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan said.
The Minister called for all interested internet service providers to register with Metro Broadband Connect so Australians living on the fringes of our larger cities who are not able to connect to broadband, can do so.
A streamlined registration process may be available for internet service providers already registered with the Australian Government's $878 million Broadband Connect program.
A provisional Metro Broadband Connect demand register is operating from today to enable customers to identify broadband services available to them and indicate their interest in receiving a Metro Broadband Connect service.
Metro Broadband Connect is part of the Government's $3.1 billion Connect Australia package.
"The program will make broadband Internet more accessible for households, small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in metropolitan and outer-metropolitan Australia that are unable to connect to affordable ADSL, cable or wireless services," Senator Coonan said.
"I encourage Australians living in these areas to register their interest in connecting to broadband immediately. Keen interest in connecting to broadband will ensure more and more providers will be willing to get people connected."
Metro Broadband Connect subsidises internet service providers via either an upfront payment for infrastructure or by a per-customer subsidy to rollout affordable broadband.
