Opel, a joint venture between Optus and Elders, had been awarded funding from the Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program to build the network.
In addition, Opel will contribute $A900 million of its own funds to the network.
"The centrepiece of Australia Connected is the immediate rollout of a new independent competitive and state of the art national broadband network that will extend high speed services out to 99 per cent of the population and provide speeds of 12 megabits per second by mid-2009," Senator Coonan said before today's launch in Goulburn in regional NSW.
Senator Coonan also announced an expert task force would be set up to ensure an open and transparent process for the assessment to build a fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) broadband network for build up areas.
"In order to expediate the plan, the competitive bids process will start immediately and the expert task force will be formed straight away," she said.
In addition, Senator Coonan announced that legislation would be introduced to parliament to protect the communication fund's $A2 billion in capital, which will provide an ongoing income stream for the government's telecommunications programme.
Quelle/Source: Stuff, 18.06.2007
