Partners Seek Federal Funding For Fixed Wireless

Stephen Withers
Tuesday, 19 December 2006 08:35

IT Industry - Strategy

Optus and Elders have teamed up to bid for Broadband Connect funding to provide fixed wireless access to over two million homes and businesses, including 700,000 that currently "receive no sustainable broadband service."

The joint proposal includes the installation of "substantial" trunk capacity to avoid paying Telstra for backhaul.

If the Federal Government comes to the wireless party, the companies will also install ADSL2+ DSLAMs at "selected Telstra exchanges in bands 2 and 3" (suburban and rural areas) at their own expense.

Optus CEO Paul O'Sullivan, said the bid "if successful, will transform rural and regional Australia by delivering widely available, competitive, proven technology broadband services."
 
The locations to be served by the wireless and ADSL2+ networks will be released "if negotiations with government are satisfactorily concluded," according to the joint statement.