Australia's NBN Co has awarded A$1.6 billion ($1.58 billion) worth of infrastructure contracts for the government's A$39 billion national fiber network rollout.
The company set up to oversee the NBN buildout has announced passive optical infrastructure deals with Corning, Prysmian and Australia's Warren & Brown.
NBN co said the agreements will create at least 450 new jobs and result in the expansion of each company's Australian presence.
Corning, a US-headquartered manufacturer, won a deal worth up to A$1.2 billion over five years to supply aerial cables and cable sheathing for the project.
The company will invest in expanding its Australian operations, including A$25 million on developing its Melbourne facility, and expects to hire up to 300-400 new staff as a result.
Milan-based Prysmian scored a $300 million deal to provide underground cabling for the project, and plans to build a new A$13 million plant in Australia which will be able to manufacture high volumes of fiber optic cables.
Prysmian said it planned to employ up to 50 new production staff, which would also create new jobs in transport, logistics, training and administration as a flow-on effect.
Warren & Brown has been tipped to provide optical distribution frames and sub-racks in an up to $110 million deal.
NBN Co CEO Mike Quigley said a key benefit of using an Australian supplier “is the ability for Warren & Brown to fill orders within short timeframes to meet [our] rollout requirements.”
The NBN is a $39.3 billion federal government project to connect 93% of Australia's population with fiber connections of up to 1Gbps, and serve the remainder of the country with wireless and satellite technologies.
The government late last year won a key political battle by passing legislation required to split Telstra and pave the way for the operator's participation in the NBN. But the project still has some hurdles to pass in 2011.
(source: telecomasia.net)
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