The seven-week stall on the National Broadband Network (NBN) Company's work seems to be enough to prepare the company for a redirection.

The NBN Company has to shift work towards the rural areas as this is one of the concessions required to secure the support of the key rural independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor. NBN Communications and Digital Economy Minister Stephen Conroy stressed, though, that new rural priorities will not affect the rollout timetable nor will it incur additional costs.

In the meantime, the largest infrastructure project of Australia has to secure a legislative mandate in the next 12 months. The NBN needs legislation to set up the NBN Company's operating conditions and regulatory reform laws to right the rickety state of telecommunications competition.

Even before the August 21 elections, the government failed to pass the much-needed legislation to get the NBN rolling outside of Tasmania.

The NBN Company would also be waiting for Telstra's 1.4 million shareholders to approve its $11 billion peace treaty to play in the NBN world. The decision on the peace treaty, however, will come when shareholders vote early next year.

Another challenge for the NBN in the next 12 months will be the acceleration of plans to roll out wireless and satellite services to the hardest-to-reach 7 percent of the nation.