Netcare grabs latest licence

Netcare Telecommunications is set to become the latest local company to be granted a telecommunications carriers’ licence by the Australian Communications Authority.

Representatives from Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Senator Richard Alston’s office were recently in Perth to view Netcare’s operations.

The company plans to use microwave links to provide wireless, high-speed data, video and telephony services to WA’s regional areas.

The pilot project will reach areas south of Perth such as Serpentine, Mandurah and Bunbury and Bindoon to the north.

These, and future roll-outs, are aimed at providing a much-needed telecommunications backbone to WA’s remote areas.

The Belmont-based hub will mainly provide datacommunications such as VoIP (voice over Internet protocol), videoconfer-encing and high speed Internet bandwidth at a rate of 155 megabytes per second.

Netcare sales executive Ron Hochkircher said regional areas have been unable to get such services via other telecommunications companies without spending a small fortune.

“I’ve heard of quotes to connect regional clients that were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars – ludicrous,” Mr Hochkircher said.

“Our solution will cost a tenth of this. “For the ‘last mile’ roll-out, we will supplement the microwave links with fibre cable to create further, individual links.”

Netcare Corporation CEO Tony Lucassen said the service would offer more bandwidth than satellite-based alternatives.

“We already have alliances with councils to create ‘network communities’ in regional areas,” he said.

“Netcare also has a suite of peripheral services that will eventually be available such as smart metering for residential developments and medical alerts for aged care facilities.”

The company has been providing microwave links in the metropolitan area for more than ten years, focussing mainly on the corporate and government markets.

Netcare Telecommunications project manager Michael Cazalet said the company would soon implement a basic microwave

system throughout Wanneroo.

“The roll-outs should be completed within the next three months,” Mr Cazalet said.

Netcare Telecommunications commercial director Josef Plattner said the company planned to float on the Australian Stock Exchange towards the end of this year.