Optus vows to halve broadband bill

A GROUP of nine telecommunications companies led by Optus and backed by investment bank Investec will offer high-speed broadband at half the prices proposed by Telstra - if it wins a $4.7 billion tender with the Rudd Government.

The group, known as the G9, said Friday it was ready to form a joint venture with the Government to build a new broadband network worth $8 billion or more.

A taxpayer contribution of $4.7 billion by way of debt or equity in a public private partnership was at the heart of Labor's communications policy at the recent election. It was designed to break an impasse between the federal Government, the competition regulator and Telstra about pricing on any new network.

Queensland Net connection 'hijacked'

Australian News Network

Sun Dec 9

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