Asia-Pacific

Australian national broadband network 18 months away

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-04 14:18

SYDNEY: Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy announced on Friday the first stage of the national broadband network (NBN) will be rolled out within 18 months.

Conroy said the first 16,000 kilometers of fibers in the government's NBN will be built to connect blackspot areas in six states and territories.

He said the "priority investment" will put 6,000 kilometers of fiber in the ground, delivering high speed internet benefiting more than 395,000 people in 100 regional communities within 18 months.

The company NexGen has won the A$250 million ($230.7 million) contract to build the links and it's committed to paying for their maintenance and operation for the next five years.

Conroy said the "overall package in terms of where they were able to reach" had put Nextgen in the driver's seat for the project.

"It was their capacity to build beyond the original tender... in reaching 100 regional centers which is obviously more than [the initial] six," he said.

Conroy said he expected all six links to be completed in 18 months and the construction would create 1,000 direct jobs.