The Gillard government has pledged an additional $12.9 million to showcase the potential of the National Broadband Network as part of the 2013 budget.
The funding will provide training to small- and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organisations, and offer up to $375,000 to selected councils to use the NBN to improve service delivery.
"Since launching in February 2012, the digital enterprise and digital local government programs have successfully delivered expert digital training to small businesses and not-for-profit organisations around Australia, as well as assisting local councils take advantage of the NBN," Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said.
Senator Conroy said more than 4500 participants had participated in the training program and more than 30 local councils were "deploying new NBN-enabled online services to transform how they interact with their communities".
"The NBN is being rolled out to all Australians so it is essential that all of us develop the skills and understand how we can best take advantage of the fast, reliable, and affordable broadband it delivers," he said.
The funding will deliver an extra 21 Digital Enterprise services, the government said, including a virtual service in remote Australia, with the expanded program expected to provide 3650 group training and 14,350 one-on-one training sessions to approximately 49,000 SME and not-for-profit participants.
Another 15 Digital Local Government programs will be rolled out.
Meanwhile, $2.5m has been allocated to extend the satellite phone subsidy scheme to June 30, 2014 to help people living and working in regional and remote areas.
"Many Australians live, work and travel in rural and remote areas, and need a satellite phone to make calls, send messages, and access data," Senator Conroy said.
"While the costs of satellite phone handsets and calls have gone down, they are still expensive for most Australians."
He said the funds will help ensure all Australians will have access to mobile services, even if they were outside the mobile phone footprint.
Approximately 24,000 mobile satellite phone subsidies have been provided through the scheme.
