The government-owned NBN Co has started to receive the first shipments of its Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) modems and plans to take orders from customers from May 24th.
Due to the global chip shortage crippling the industry, NBN was forced to temporarily pause the connection of most new customers to the NBN network via HFC technology.
During the pause on new orders, NBN says it made special provisions using available HFC modems held in reserve to continue to connect premises occupied by medically vulnerable customers.
It has worked with internet retailers to connect more than 230 vulnerable customers to the NBN network since 2 February 2021, and the company will continue to offer priority service to vulnerable customers.
NBN says it has reconnected more than 47,000 premises to the NBN network via HFC technology since 2 February 2021.
NBN Co is now using the first new deliveries of HFC modems received in March 2021 as well as the limited stocks in its warehouses for reconnection orders, in addition to premises without a legacy phone or internet service and medically vulnerable customers.
There are approximately 31,000 premises with reconnection orders in progress and NBN Co will work through as many of these orders as possible prior to taking new orders on 24 May 2021.
The company is working through its approach for the recommencement of new orders and will communicate its detailed plan to internet retailers on 8 April 2021. The recommencement plan is contingent on continued deliveries of stock, which NBN Co started receiving throughout March, with further scheduled deliveries expected in the months ahead.
Brad Whitcomb, Chief Customer Officer at NBN Co, said: “We are confident that we will receive regular deliveries of new HFC modems in the weeks and months ahead to enable the resumption of new HFC connections from 24 May 2021.
“We appreciate customers’ patience during this global chipset shortage that has temporarily delayed some new HFC connections to the nbn network.”
The recommencement plan is contingent on deliveries of stock.
