[LINK] (no subject)

brd at iimetro.com.au brd at iimetro.com.au
Thu Sep 21 16:48:55 AEST 2006


$600m for bush broadband
Staff writers
SEPTEMBER 21, 2006
The Australian
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,20451763%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html

THE federal Government has earmarked up to $600 million for rural broadband
projects as part of its Broadband Connect agenda.

Also part of the wider, billion-dollar Connect Australia program, the funding
would be used to support a number of large scale infrastructure projects and
bolster investment by private groups and state and territory governments.

The funding was announced by federal Communications Minister Helen Coonan and
Nationals leader, Trade Minister Mark Vaile.

"Broadband infrastructure is the roads and railways of a modern 21st century
economy," Senator Coonan said.

Broadband connect guidelines were published along with the announcement, with
funding applications being accepted until the end of November.

Proposals for Broadband Connect funding could also be eligible for funding under
the Mobile Connect program or Clever Networks health and education
communications initiative.

The new broadband connect funding is part of the second phase of the program.
The first phase offered subsidies to internet service providers that connected
customers in areas poorly served by broadband services.

Expressions of interest for the new second phase were lodged earlier this year,
with 69 responses received.

" The overwhelming majority of the 69 responses strongly supported the
Government's proposed alternative infrastructure-based approach outlined in the
EOI," Senator Coonan said.

"Several respondents are interested in developing proposals for major national
or regional infrastructure projects," she said.

"Some also proposed a consortium approach to bring together major transmission
capacity projects (such as interstate links and local access solutions) that
could be integrated into comprehensive national or regional projects."

Optus and rural services group Elders have formed one of the partnerships
expected to bid for funding

The existing per-customer subsidy to service providers would continue for the
remainder of the current financial year.

-- 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au

----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using iiMetro WebMail 



More information about the Link mailing list