Thursday 6 September 2007

Extension of essential telecommunications for Indigenous communities

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator the Hon Helen Coonan today invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from service providers capable of providing, installing and maintaining community telephone services for remote Indigenous communities.

“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that remote Indigenous communities have access to telephone services,” Senator Coonan said.

“As part of the Government’s $36.6 million Backing Indigenous Ability telecommunications program, we will be making community telephone services available in up to 300 permanent Indigenous communities in remote areas.

“This program is part of the $1.1 billion Connect Australia package and seeks to address deficiencies in telecommunications services, particularly in remote and very remote Indigenous communities.” 

Community phones are shared public access phones that are operated using a prepaid card and housed in a robust case to protect them from the environment and damage. The EOI process will assess whether there are suitable providers to supply community phones to remote Indigenous communities and will identify the range of technology and service options available in the remote areas.

“I would like to encourage service providers to come forward with innovative technology and service options to ensure that Indigenous communities in remote areas have access to these services,” Senator Coonan said.

A community phone was developed last year through a successful trial by the Australian Government and Telstra in which 216 phones were installed in 124 remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

“The Australian Bureau of Statistics has identified around 300 communities that would benefit from these phones. The Government will release details of the eligible communities shortly,” Senator Coonan said.

“The Government is also planning to provide satellite handsets to smaller remote Indigenous communities and will announce details of this initiative soon.”

Installation of the community phones is expected to commence in 2008.

Depending on the outcome of the EOI process, an open request for applications may be issued.

The EOI for community phones will close 12 October 2007. For more information visit www.dcita.gov.au/bia

Media Contact: Katherine Meier 0417 441 141