Media News - Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Australia may get much needed broadband network

Australia could be a step closer to building a high-speed broadband network after the government canceled a deal for a rural system that would have overlapped with the one planned nationwide. The scrapping of the rural network plan, which was to cost AUD 958m (EUR 564m), came as the government planned to invite bids for a national network as early as next week. It is offering AUD 4.7bn (EUR 2.7bn)in financing, which it wants the winning business to match. Australia has slower and more expensive Internet access than many other developed countries, and though usage rates are on a par, officials and experts have warned that Australia may fall behind in competitiveness without faster, nationwide coverage. The government wants 98 percent of Australian homes to have high-speed Internet access in the next five years; around 64 percent have broadband now. The vast distances in Australia and the often inhospitable terrain make full accessibility difficult. (Reuters via International Herald Tribune)

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