The Tasmanian division of the National Broadband Network Company has dropped pamphlets in communities touched by the first stage of the network rollout, promising “unlimited possibilities” and that the network is “ready to roll”.

The pamphlets — a copy of which you can download here (PDF) — promise residents in the early stage rollout areas of Midway Point, Scottsdale and Smithton a number of benefits — such as improved communication for medical practitioners, “endless entertainment” and broadband with the “fastest speeds” and “no lag”.

The pamphlet also outline common NBN terms such as optical fibre broadband, retail service provider and so on, and what the role of NBN Tasmania is in the rollout.

It promises that the NBN fibre-optic internet connection will be “completely independent” of users’ existing broadband services, meaning that they will able to setup an NBN fibre connection without worrying that their existing phone and internet services will be disconnected.

“When you’re ready to switch over to optical fibre services offered by a retail service provider, you can cancel your old service within the terms of your existing agreement,” the pamphlet states.

The news comes as there are some indications that demand for the new optic services in Tasmania may not be as hot as some might anticipate.

On April 8 the Mercury reported that about 90 residents turned up to a recent briefing on the Midway Point rollout, with Sorell Mayor Carmel Torenius reportedly saying she wasn’t quite sure of the benefits, and and that NBN Tasmania had a lot of work to do to educate residents.

In addition, the Queensland Government has recently poached one of the lead architects of Tasmania’s early stage participation in the NBN rollout — Jim Wyatt, the assistant general manager at Tasmania’s Department of Economic Development — to help lead its own broadband strategy.

On the mainland, NBN Co has kicked off the search for organisations — or consortiums — to provide design and construction services for its fibre rollout across Australia.

Related posts:

1. NBN Tasmania details Hobart, Launceston rollouts
2. Stress less: NBN Co reassures Tasmania
3. NBN: Tasmania left in the dark, says lobby
4. Telstra offers free NBN trial in Tasmania
5. Optus still thinking about NBN Tasmania offering

1. Robotic Buttocks
   Posted 15/04/2010 at 9:14 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Familiar logo? http://www.rtv6blogs.com/gm/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/abc_logo_hi-res.thumbnail.jpg

2. Robotic Buttocks
   Posted 15/04/2010 at 9:35 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Better Logo? http://twitpic.com/1fqtz5

   • Renai LeMay
     Posted 15/04/2010 at 10:35 pm | Permalink | Reply

     ROFLcopter in both cases. *saved for posterity*

3. Ben Short
   Posted 16/04/2010 at 9:13 am | Permalink | Reply

   Ready to roll my ass. It might be for 1/3 of Midway point, but certainly not all of it.

   Was doing a bit of “investigative journalism” in midway point last week for a prominent IT website known to everyone here ;). My drive seemed to indicate maybe 1/3 – 2/5 of Midway Point actually has fibre going between the poles and/or splitters attached. Of course the fibre could be buried however I saw little evidence of that.

   Aurora’s statewide fibre rollout of the backbone went faster than this..

   • Victor
     Posted 25/10/2010 at 8:36 am | Permalink | Reply

     It must be Scottsdale for the leaflet drop as it is certainly not Smithton or Midway point lol!

4. Paul
   Posted 16/04/2010 at 4:28 pm | Permalink | Reply

   I cannot access “The pamphlets”.

   It shows as “the file is damged and could not be repaired”.

   • Paul
     Posted 16/04/2010 at 4:38 pm | Permalink | Reply

     What looks like the same URL, works when clicked from the itWire story.

     Has me beaten. I cannot explain that at all ;-)

     The URL at both sites seems to be
     http://delimiter.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/NBN-Tas-Brochure-1.pdf

     • Renai LeMay
       Posted 16/04/2010 at 4:53 pm | Permalink | Reply

       Works for me Paul — I’m sorry that there was a problem :( At least you’ve got it now etc.

   • PointZeroOne
     Posted 16/04/2010 at 4:52 pm | Permalink | Reply

     Works fine for me from any of the locations.

5. Midway re
   Posted 24/04/2010 at 8:35 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Yes interesting

6. Midway Resident
   Posted 24/04/2010 at 8:38 pm | Permalink | Reply

   I think they are making it up as they go along no ones knocked on my door wanting to sign us up yet. And information how to connect is non existant…