With the 2024 school year kicking off, the Federal Labor Government has announced it is extending its new program providing free home broadband to school kids without internet at home to the end of 2025.
Just over 5,000 families across Australia have already been connected through the program, with around 42% of connected families living in regional communities.
Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said with school back for the year, there has never been a better time for local families to apply for support through the program and for schools to nominate students.
“In 2024, local school students should have access to reliable, fast broadband to fully participate in online learning at school and at home.
“Last year, I met with the Schroeder family from Ipswich, who have a number of children attending Redbank Plains State School, which referred them to the service.
I’m confident it will deliver real outcomes for so many families locally, like it has for the Schroeder family and others, and give them the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
“I encourage any eligible families in Ipswich, the Somerset Region and Karana Downs area interested in the SSBI to contact my office on (07) 3201 5300 or [email protected] so we can connect them to the program,” Mr Neumann said.
FAST FACTS
Launched in February 2023, the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) is providing up to 30,000 eligible families with school-aged children to free broadband for a year over the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The Federal Government is providing an additional $4.3 million in funding to NBN Co to extend the program to 2025, and further support educational outcomes and households struggling with cost-of-living pressures.
The Federal Government is considering options to support participating families at the end of 2025, including asking the NBN Low-Income and Digital Inclusion Forum to examine discounted products.
To implement the SSBI extension, NBN Co will be working with nominating organisations, internet providers and other key stakeholders.
For more information on the SSBI, visit: infrastructure.gov.au/SSBI
Eligibility for free internet
Families can self-nominate via the recently launched National Referral Centre, or be referred by approved nominating organisations who work with vulnerable communities, including schools.
To be eligible, a family must:
- Have a child living at home and enrolled in an Australian school
- Be referred by a nominating organisation or self-nominate through the National Referral Centre
- Have no active home broadband service over the NBN network
- Live in a premises that can access a standard NBN service.
Families can contact the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm AEDT) or visit: www.anglicarevic.org.au/student-internet
