update The competition to build a national fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) broadband network stepped up today, with the Optus-led G9 consortium officially confirming it will enter the fray.

Communications Minister Helen Coonan recently announced a competitive bidding process to determine which company would build and operate such a network in Australia.

In a joint statement, the G9 said it hoped to work with the government to develop bidding guidelines that would ensure the physical availability of a high-speed broadband network as well as a competitive market structure.

"In the last 12 months the G9 has worked carefully to develop a detailed model which meets both objectives, and we now stand ready to build on our existing work to develop a compelling bid," Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan said.

"As a first step, we look forward to working with the minister's expert taskforce to identify the issues that the government will need to consider in assessing competing bids, including the regulatory changes sought by bidders, and the extent to which each bid leverages existing fast access infrastructure investments where appropriate.

"We expect that our input will assist the expert taskforce in its task of preparing detailed bidding guidelines, which is a necessary first step before parties can finalise their bids."

Meanwhile, Telstra in response claimed it is the only company which has a detailed FTTN plan for Australia. A spokesman for the telco said today: "Telstra has had a FTTN plan for nearly two years, we have done the hard work and planning needed to deliver."

"The Optus-led G9 still haven't answered the important question of how they will built it, how it will operate without Telstra's co-operation, and with that in mind who will be willing to pay for it."

ZDNet Australia's Jo Best contributed to this report.