Australian gov´t to build national broadband network

CANBERRA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on
Tuesday the government will establish its own company to build the national
broadband network.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Tuesday the government will establish its own company to build the national broadband network.(File photo)

"It will connect all other houses and business in Australia with next
generation wireless and satellite technologies that will deliver broadband
speeds of 12 mega-bits per second," Rudd told reporters, adding that the service
would be up to 100 times faster than that currently available.

During a joint press conference with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy
and Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner in Canberra, Rudd said the new network will
deliver fast speed broadband to 90 percent of the country through optical
fibre.

"Every person and business in Australia, no matter where they are located,
will have access to affordable, fast broadband at their fingertips," Rudd
said.

According to Rudd, the government will make an initial investment of 4.7
billion Australian dollars (3 billion U.S. dollars) in the company but intends
to sell its interest within five years after the network is fully
operational.

Building the network will take seven to eight years, and rollout of the
network is expected to start in early 2010, Rudd said.