The Government is facilitating the development of a more competitive telecommunications industry in the State. Broadband services are the focus of this policy objective because they support economic growth, facilitate new business opportunities, and improve the State’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy. As a market for telecommunications services, Tasmania remains relatively small and difficult to service because of the high capital costs of infrastructure required to achieve wide coverage. The Government believes that introducing competition into the wholesale (backhaul) services market in Tasmania will encourage a wider range of retailer providers and other ISPs to establish a presence in Tasmania.

On this basis, the Government has invested in telecommunications assets, which can now be leveraged in co-operation with industry to provide improved broadband connectivity throughout the main urban centres in the State and to the mainland.

On 19 August 2006, the Government commenced the Request for Proposals (RFP) process for a Strategic Alliance with a telecommunications carrier to build a more competitive broadband services market in Tasmania.

The Government's objectives under this process were to:

• facilitate a more competitive telecommunications industry structure within the State;
• encourage new investment in broadband telecommunications facilities within the State; and
• create an environment conducive to content and application providers of innovative and value added services.

Further general information on the status of the project can be obtained from the Contact below.