By Brendan Rees
Residents of the new Belmond Estate in Clyde were left reeling in March last year as they were caught up in a massively delayed NBN connection.
Households were told they would receive satellite phones as they had nearly non-existent mobile phone reception.
When residents first started to move into the estate late in 2016, they were told NBN Co would have their phone and internet switched on by 1 December 2016.
That date had been continually pushed back with residents told they could expect to have fixed line telecommunications in the estate by 8 May 2017.
MP for La Trobe Anthony Byrne worked with households in the estate to help get them connected but said it wasn’t until they protested in the streets that they were heard.
At the time, NBN Co Victorian spokesperson Michael Moore said the delays in connecting the service to the estate stemmed from works outside the estate boundary.
He also attributed the delay to construction challenges relating to the 7.8-kilometre fibre haul required for connection.
Residents were left feeling bitter after a statement was made by both NBN Co and Telstra that there was no likelihood of them receiving any compensation for their time with no fixed or mobile services.
Representatives from Telstra and NBN Co faced up to a group of about 30 angry Belmond residents in the office of Holt MP Anthony Byrne on the night of Tuesday 14 March.
Residents shared their stories of being unable to conduct business or keep in touch with family and friends because of the lack of service throughout the estate during the meeting.
