[LINK] NBN connections to be opt-out

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

NBN Co awards installation contracts

NBN Co has awarded two contracts worth up to $142 million to install 
equipment in homes and businesses while maintaining fibre optic networks 
over the next two years.

Service Stream will be paid up to $64 million to install and activate NBN 
boxes in people’s homes while maintaining fibre networks in Victoria, 
Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia. Silcar 
will be paid $78 million to do the same in Queensland, the ACT and NSW.

The contracts will also have two one-year extension options.

The new contracts come on the back of NBN Co’s decision to shift to what 
industry experts have labelled an “opt-out” system for connecting homes 
and businesses. Where the company previously had to get express 
permission from residents before installing a connection, the company 
will now automatically connect fibre to the outside of every location 
unless expressly told not to.

NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley had said the move would cost a 
significant amount initially but would eventually be a good investment.

“It’s not billions but it’s not a few hundred million either,” he said in 
August.

NBN Co head of operations Steve Christian said in a statement that at the 
rollout’s peak in 2016 around 6000 premises would be connected each 
working day by 2000 staff.

“These contracts are good news for families and good news for the 
employment market,” he said.

The $37.4 billion NBN’s fibre rollout is currently around 12 months 
behind its original 2010 schedule with 54,000 homes and businesses set to 
be connected using the high-speed technology by June 2013.

<http://afr.com/p/technology/nbn_co_awards_installation_contracts_OWva6KtN
KxGKKx7FW87jFK>  By David Ramli in the AFR
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Cheers,
Stephen