Conflicts Slow Down Australian Broadband

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One of things that those getting a visa for Australia like a lot about the country is that it has very good communication facilities. In fact, despite the country being largely a desert, Australia's telecommunication system is actually top notched among developed countries. And it is set to get even better with the expected establishment of the National Broadband Network (NBN), by the Australian government.

The NBN started out as a proposal put forth by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during the National Elections of 2007. When Rudd won the said elections, he immediately set to get the project running. There were several companies vying for the privilege of setting up the network, including the former national carrier Telstra, Terria and Canadian company Axia NetMedia. There was also a state sponsored bid made by the Tasmanian government. On the other hand, Canberra based TransACT also put forward its own proposals.

According to the requirements that were placed by the Australian government, the network must be able to provide a 100 Mbps (megabits per second) download speed for about 90 percent of Australian homes and businesses. The network is also expected to be operational for at least eight years, with the government being the major operator for the first five years before selling their stake to private companies. Furthermore, the project is expected to generate more than 47,000 jobs for both local and foreign workers.

Eventually however, all the proposals were dropped by the Australian government. According to officials, many of the proposals were not able to meet the demands that the government has set for the project. They also ultimately decided that it would be better if the government itself would handle the establishment of the network. The first services began operating in early 2010, while preparations for the Tasmania section of the system was well underway since July of 2009.

However, while the project seems to be running smoothly, its development was not without any issues. The removal of Telstra from the bidding process early on was negatively received by the telecommunications industry. According to officials, Telstra was removed due its inability to comply with the requirements made by the government. Aside from losing a potentially big contract, the company was hit another time when its share price dropped following the announcement of its exclusion from the bid. The eventual removal of all the private contractors from the bid also led to the project implementation being slowed down.

So, what does whole thing mean to immigrants coming into the country? Well, for those planning to work in the telecommunications industry, this is another job opportunity that you won't be able to avail of. For the larger number, however, this one is a significant letdown in terms of the country's telecommunications capability.


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