Cable & Wireless Optus has signed a AU$175 million deal with the national broadcaster to carry digital TV to the bush, via satellite.
C&W Optus regards the deal as significant as it will allow regional, rural and remote viewers to receive ABC digital television programs with the same broadcast quality as city viewers.
"It will provide blanket coverage to regional, rural and remote areas across the country and geography is no barrier," a C&W Optus spokesperson told ZDNet.
The service will be rolled out over a 10-year term on 1 July 2001.
Satellite signals will be carried from ABC studios to the Optus satellite operation centre, which then delivers the digital transmission to 240 sites across the country.
Optus has signed a deal with ntl Australia, which will install and operate the transmission towers over the 10-year contact period for rolling out the service.
Optus told ZDNet that the sale of its mobile business was not interfering with normal operations and that "the company was going about business as usual."
Vodaphone Pacific, Telecom Corp of New Zealand and Singapore Telecom are all bidding for the mobile assets.
