The Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee (RTIRC) has welcomed the Government’s announcement of competitive fibre backhaul across Australia, to be built under the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program.

"This development will make a huge difference to telecommunication services in regional, rural and remote Australia," said Dr Bill Glasson AO, Chair of the RTIRC.

Nextgen Networks will build backbone transmission links and provide more than 100 access points en-route to six priority blackspot locations:

1. Geraldton, Western Australia.
2. Darwin, Northern Territory.
3. Emerald and Longreach, Queensland.
4. Broken Hill, New South Wales.
5. Victor Harbor, South Australia.
6. South West Gippsland, Victoria.

"The longest link will run from Darwin to Toowoomba and connects into existing infrastructure right down the east coast to Tasmania and across into Western Australia. In total the six links will include 6,000km of fibre and will benefit close to 400,000 regional Australians" said Dr Glasson.

"This announcement addresses major recommendations of the RTIRC Review. The Review identified the need for improved telecommunications competition in regional Australia and a pressing need for increased backhaul capacity. This is a positive step towards better telecommunications services for people living in regional Australia".

"The RTIRC congratulates the Government on this timely endeavor" said Dr Glasson.

The RTIRC comprises Dr Bill Glasson AO (Chair), Ms Alexandra Gartmann, Mr Mark Needham, Councillor Bruce Scott, and Mrs Josephine Stone AM.

Further information about the Regional Backbone Blackspots Program is available from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy’s website at: www.dbcde.gov.au/blackspots_program

Further information about the Review is available from the website at www.rtirc.gov.au

Media contact: Dr Bill Glasson (Chair): phone 0427 757 375

Contact details 

To contact the RTIRC Committee or Secretariat please use the contact details below.

Email: secretariat@rtirc.gov.au

Phone: 1800 064 851

Fax: 02 6271 1580

Post:
RTIRC Secretariat
Locked Bag 7001
Manuka ACT 2603