NBN take-up predicted to be 30%

National Broadband Network Tasmania chairman Doug Campbell has said the take-up of the network itself could be as low as 30% when it is switched on for the first time in July.

Campbell said the take-up rate of a similar network in the US was about 28-30%, and he expects just lower than one third of Australians to jump on board when the network is released initially.

“They are in a very competitive environment and a very dense environment with a high (consumer) understanding of the value of high-speed broadband – and they’ve got up to 28% to 30% penetration,” Campbell told The Australian.

Campbell also said the one-third figure may not be seen in Tasmania due to high-density cities and a greater geographical spread of the population.