National Broadband Network (Australia)

The National Broadband Network is a proposed Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and/or Fibre to the Home (FTTH) network in Australia. The Australian Government has called for proposals to build an Open Access Network providing download speeds of 12 Megabits per second or more to at least 98% of Australian homes and businesses, for which it is offering to contribute up to A$4.7 billion, in the form of a public private partnership. It will be the largest single infrastructure investment in Australia's history. [cite news
last = Egan
first = Michael
coauthors = (Terria chairman)
title = A separate company for a broadband network
work = The Age
date = 2008-09-05
url = http://business.theage.com.au/business/a-separate-company-for-a-broadband-network-20080904-49zt.html
accessdate = 2008-09-07]

Key Requirements for Proposals

The RFP sets out the following requirements for proposals [cite press release
title = Government invites National Broadband Network proposals
publisher = Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
date = 2008-04-11
url = http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/government_invites_national_broadband_network_proposals
accessdate = 2008-09-14 ] :

* Minimum download speeds of 12 megabits per second
* Coverage to 98% of Australian homes and businesses
* Network to be operational progressively over five years using FTTN or FTTH
* Be able to provide high quality voice, data and video services including symmetric servies such as high definition video-conferencing
* Provide the government with a return on investment
* Network to be an Open Access Network
* Have a uniform pricing structure, regardless of customer location

History

The NBN was proposed during 2007 as an election promise by then opposition leader Kevin Rudd. [cite press release
title = Building Australia's Prosperity - Federal Labor's New National Broadband Network
publisher = Australian Labor Party
date = 2007-03-21
url = http://www.alp.org.au/media/0307/mscomfinloo210.php
accessdate = 2008-09-05] . The proposal both competed with and was to run alongside the then government's Broadband Connect project which was awarded to OPEL Networks in the lead up to the election, but was cancelled in April 2008.

Following the 2007 Australian Federal Election, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued, with proposals submitted by Telstra, Terria, Canadian based Axia NetMedia, Acacia [cite news
last = Tindal
first = Suzanne
title = Acacia up for national NBN bid
work = ZDNet Australia
date = 2008-10-01
url = http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/Acacia-up-for-national-NBN-bid/0,130061791,339292385,00.htm
accessdate = 2008-10-02] , as well as an individual state bid by the Tasmanian Government and a Canberra based bid lodged by TransACT. [cite news
last = O'Sullivan
first = Matt
title = National $10b-plus network a step closer
work = The Sydney Morning Herald
date = 2008-08-08
url = http://business.smh.com.au/business/national-10bplus-network-a-step-closer-20080807-3rqm.html
accessdate = 2008-09-05]

Following the release of network information by incumbent carriers, a closing date of 2008-11-26 was set for the RFP. [cite press release
title = Date set for National Broadband Network proposals
publisher = Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
date = 2008-09-03
url = http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/066
accessdate = 2008-09-05]

References

External links

* [http://www.dbcde.gov.au/nationalbroadbandnetwork NBN section on Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy website]
* [http://www.terria.com.au/ Terria website]