The New South Wales government has foreshadowed plans to use state-owned powerlines to deliver high speed, broadband access to country towns.
The Minister for Information, Kim Yeadon, outlined the strategy at the Australian Telecommunications Users Group now2001 conference in Sydney.
"Currently, TransGrid, the government-owned high voltage electricity carrier, is rolling out 1,300km of fibre statewide as part of the earth wire on top of the stauntions that carry the electricity wires," Yeadon said.
"While this is being done for TransGrid's own communications needs, the capacity of this fibre will be available to private telecommunications companies on a commercial basis to provide increased bandwith and more competitive services, especially in regional NSW."
The project will be detailed in the government's upcoming Telecommunications Strategy.
The government says it is working with the private sector through the Nextgen project that will increase commercial-based fibre roll out in regional areas on the east coast of Australia.
"We are also trialing satellite services in Manilla and Brewarrina, and high speed Internet services in Wagga Wagga and Griffith."
