Tasmanian Liberal leader Will Hodgman has committed a Mitt Romney-style election gaffe, after allegedly telling a colleague the lack of a FTTP NBN in Tasmania could cost him the election.

Both the Labor and the Liberal parties have issued statements asking the federal government to reverse its decision to use the existing copper network for some of its Tasmanian contracts, after NBN Co chief Ziggy Switkowski announced the government would be using the ageing copper despite election promises that fibre-to-the-premise would be utilised.

Hodgman, who is strongly tipped to be Premier of Tasmania after the 15 March election, was overheard telling his colleague Jacquie Petrusma the issue could cost his party the election at a press conference today.

"It could cost us the election, anyway that's democracy," he said.

Journalists questioned Hodgman after the alleged statement, and he confirmed he disagreed with the federal Liberal party on the NBN rollout.

"This is a critical issue for Tasmania, I recognise that and there are a number of issues that could cost any party the election," he said, adding that he does not know if the issue will be resolved before polling day.

Premier Lara Giddings described her Liberal counterpart's comments as "extraordinary."

"Why did he wait until Malcolm Turnbull made the decision to break the election promise Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott made to Tasmanians to actually pick up the phone? Too late Will," she said.

"You need to be better than that.

"You need to turn up to meetings, you need to stand up for Tasmania when it really counts," she said.

Meanwhile industry lobby group Tas ICT has told the ABC that federal Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull needs come to Tasmania to explain the repercussions.

Spokesman Dean Winter says it is "disappointing" Tasmania will not get a full fibre rollout.

"It is going to be inequitable. There's going to be a lot of towns and suburbs that potentially won't get the fibre-to-the-premises they were originally promised and that's very disappointing for those areas," he said.

"Really there's going to be a fight amongst those towns and between local mayors and municipalities about who is going to get that superior NBN."