On 18th May 2011 the Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Minister for Broadband, Senator Stephen Conroy, launched the National Broadband Network (NBN) in the regional city of Armidale, in northern New South Wales.

The town is one of five first-release test sites where fibre optic cable has been laid for the broadband network. Areas in Melbourne, Townsville, coastal New South Wales and South Australia will also be switched on in the coming months.

Switching on the NBN on mainland Australia will help create jobs, provide greater training options, support regional growth and improve health and education services across rural and regional Australia.

The Prime Minister said the NBN will provide affordable high speed broadband to every Australian home.