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Arnhem Land communities to connect to the world of high speed broadband

19 September 2008 - Telstra Media Release - Telstra, the Northern Territory Government and Rio Tinto Alcan today announced they had teamed up on a $34 million project to connect northern Arnhem Land to the nation's fibre optic backbone.

Broadbanding the Top End will see 800km of fibre optic cable laid between Jabiru and Nhulunbuy, connecting nine indigenous communities and the township of Nhulunbuy with state of the art telecommunications.

Telstra Group Managing Director Public Policy & Communications, Mr David Quilty, said the project was vitally important for the people of northern Arnhem Land and the outcome couldn't have been achieved without financial assistance from the Territory Government and Rio Tinto Alcan.

"It's a huge project and one that covers some extremely difficult and fragile terrain. Telstra has been working closely with the NT Government, the Northern Land Council and other relevant authorities to ensure the impact of the fibre deployment on the surrounding area is minimised," Mr Quilty said.

"Broadbanding the Top End will ultimately serve a population of over 10,000 people in some of the remotest parts of Australia, providing them with access to world class, high speed broadband and a range of other advanced communications solutions."

"One of the most important aspects of this project is that it will provide greater opportunities for improvements in health and education in some of Australia's most isolated communities. For the first time, services like video-conferencing can be made available, so medical specialists in other parts of Australia, or other parts of the world can be consulted. "

"In education broadband will provide an opportunity to improve access to information and broaden options to deliver teaching, through virtual classrooms," Mr Quilty said.

Group Managing Director Telstra Networks & Services, Mr Michael Rocca, said the Broadbanding the Top End project meant more than just providing reliable phones and faster broadband - it meant bringing life-changing technology to this remote corner of Australia.

"Like the Wadeye optical fibre project Telstra completed in October 2007 with assistance from LGANT and the Federal Government, this project is expected to deliver significant benefits on top of providing access to high quality voice and broadband service."

"It further demonstrates Telstra's ability to build the complex world-class telecommunications infrastructure required to advance communities around Australia," Mr Rocca said.

Telstra Media Contact: Jane de Gault Reference Number: 250/2008

Fast net for remote Territory

NICK CALACOURAS

20 September 2008 - RESIDENTS in remote Nhulunbuy will soon have better internet access than some Darwin suburbs. Telstra yesterday announced a $34 million project to pipe 800km of optic fibre to connect the mining town and several remote Arnhem Land communities with high- speed broadband internet.

The project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, was driven by contributions from Rio Tinto Alcan Gove, whose workers in Nhulunbuy will now have access to high-speed broadband.

The cable will also connect to Maningrida, Ramingining, Gapuwiyak and Yirrkala.

These communities will have better internet access than some Darwin suburbs.

Broadband is believed to reach 90 per cent of Territorians, but blackspots in suburbs such as Ludmilla and Tiwi have left scores of homes with no access high-speed internet.

These blackspots will be covered only if Telstra replaces the older technology in these suburbs with optic fibre - but it refuses to do this until awarded the Federal Government's $4.7 billion fibre to the node contract.

Telstra spokesman David Quilty said people in Darwin still had a "range of options", such as the more expensive wireless internet. The Territory Government contributed
$6.8 million to the project.

Chief Minister Paul Henderson said the information superhighway was just as important as roads in remote communities. He said high-speed broadband opened up possibilities for business, education and healthcare services in remote communities.

The Northern Land Council also supported the project, which will affect for 10,000 Territorians. Chief executive Kim Hill said communities would benefit from the increased information, education and entertainment.

Source: The NT News

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