Right now, having a connection to the internet is more important than ever to households. Whether its parents working from home or kids education, we’re all very dependent on our connectivity.
NBN Co today have announced a new package worth $150 million to provide financial assistance to help internet providers to support their residential and small and medium business customers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aimed at helping internet providers connect low-income households with home schooling needs, supporting emergency and essential services, and assisting small and medium businesses and residential customers who are facing financial hardship.
The consultation involved more than 50 internet providers, government and consumer group Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) and identified specific customer segments that require
immediate support.
Around $50m of the $150m will be directed to helping internet providers support low-income households with school-aged children who do not currently have an active nbn connection at home.
NBN Co is working with the Department of Education and schools in each state and territory to ensure this initiative reaches those most in need.
There’s also a dedicated support package for essential and emergency services, which focusses on providing internet providers higher speeds for telehealth providers, enhanced service levels, and prioritised connections and fault resolution via case management through nbn’s Business Operations Centre through this period of increased demand.
SME can also benefit from assistance provided to RSP with discounted access to new connections of specified wholesale business grade products to help them to maintain or re-establish their businesses, once this crisis passes.
The total support package for small and medium businesses will be approximately $50 million and the relief measures for residential financial hardship will be approximately $50 million.
“We know that many Australian households and businesses are doing it tough, and that access to broadband services has never been more important.
As a national wholesale provider of broadband services, nbn has an important role to play in supporting internet providers connecting families with remote schooling needs for their children and keeping Australian households, small and medium businesses, as well as essential and emergency services connected.
The unprecedented measures we are announcing today reflect our commitment to the Telecommunications industry in helping to deliver a whole of industry solution to these consumer and business segments which have been hit hard by the pandemic.
The financial relief and assistance measures we have announced today are about providing financial assistance to help internet providers support low-income households with school children at home who are not currently connected to the nbn. We want to do what we can to ensure all school children have access to the internet during this period. They are about keeping emergency and essential services, including telehealth, connected, as announced by Minister Paul Fletcher recently.
This package also aims to give small and medium businesses the resilience they need to stay connected and emerge in a position to grow again in the future and provide relief measures to help households and small and medium businesses who are facing financial hardship.”
nbn Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Rue
You can get more information at nbnco.com.au
