The island State of Tasmania is set to be the first to get the full throttle of the NBN, inking a contract with Leighton Holdings to roll out the fibre network right across Tasmania.
Visionstream Australia, part of the Leighton group, has been awarded the contract to replace copper telephone lines with the high-speed fibreoptic broadband network in cities, towns and suburbs, covering around 200,000 homes and businesses.
The four-year detailed design, construction and maintenance contract is valued at approximately $300 million.
The full Tasmanian rollout is due to be completed in 2015. The contract includes an option for renewal over each of the following two years.
The contract is expected to generate 800 new jobs at the peak of the rollout, as well as a permanent workforce to undertake ongoing maintenance of the fibre network, including future upgrades.
