87/07
Friday 22^nd June 2007

100% Broadband Guaranteed  

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator the Hon Helen Coonan today launched the guidelines for the new Australian Broadband Guarantee program, a key element of the Australian Government’s recently announced Australia Connected package.

“The Australian Broadband Guarantee provides assurance to those living in the remotest parts of Australia that they will have access to metro-comparable broadband services,” Senator Coonan said.

“This week, the Australian Government announced the unprecedented roll out of fast broadband services through the new OPEL network, extending coverage to 99 per cent of the population.

“The Government has not forgotten about the remaining one per cent of Australians without access to fast affordable broadband,” Senator Coonan said.

“The Guarantee provides a safety net that ensures Australians living in the most remote or difficult to reach areas are entitled to a broadband subsidy up to $2750 per household. That is the guarantee to all Australians.”

Senator Coonan said that unlike the Labor Party, the Government has a complete and detailed plan to rollout affordable broadband to all Australians, regardless of where they live and the costs to consumers.

“The challenge to Mr Rudd, and the Labor Party is to provide the costings, coverage maps and technical information about their broadband announcement for the full scrutiny of the Australian public,” Senator Coonan said.

“It’s been 91 days since the Labor Party put out their broadband announcement and nothing more has been provided other than the press release.

“So I say to Mr Rudd, if Labor think they can spend almost $5 billion dollars of taxpayers’ money with no more detail or accountability than a mere press release, then this is just another example of why Labor can not be trusted with Australia’s trillion dollar economy.”

Senator Coonan said that as the OPEL network rolls out over the next two years, the Australian Government will review the threshold service offered under the Australian Broadband Guarantee to ensure that it maintains parity with speeds and costs available in metropolitan areas.

In addition, interest earned from the $2 billion Communications Fund will be available to continue the Australian Broadband Guarantee beyond 2008 to ensure all Australians have access to high-speed broadband.

“This week, the Australian Government introduced legislation to ensure the $2 billion Communications fund is protected in perpetuity for the benefit of regional and rural Australia and to provide an income stream for future upgrades and improvements, including further extending high speed broadband,” Senator Coonan said.

Senator Coonan also announced the extension of the current Australian Broadband Guarantee (transitional period) program.

“The transitional period program was put in place in April 2007 to provide former Broadband Connect providers with a transition period to the new program. The Australian Broadband Guarantee (transitional period) will now be extended to 13 August 2007,” Senator Coonan said.

“This extension will allow potential Australian Broadband Guarantee applicants to better identify opportunities under the full program through assessment of OPEL network’s coverage,” Senator Coonan said.

“The extension will also ensure that Australian consumers have uninterrupted access to subsidised broadband services during the change-over to the new program and in the lead up to retail services being offered under the OPEL network.”

Consumers can find out if they are eligible to receive the ABG subsidy and how to access it by call the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts on  1800 883 488 or by visiting www.dcita.gov.au/broadband and clicking on the Online Service Locator.

“I encourage all Internet service providers to look at the business opportunities provided by the new OPEL network and the Australian Broadband Guarantee program and to get a copy of the program guidelines,” Senator Coonan said.

Further information on the Australian Broadband Guarantee including application forms for service providers are available at www.dcita.gov.au/communications_for_business/funding_programs__and__support/broadband_guarantee.