CONTRACTED National Broadband Network builder for Western Australia, Syntheo, has this week started infrastructure construction in central Perth - after almost a year of preparation.
The company began designing the network for Victoria Park in December 2011 following the awarding of a $174 million construction contract for WA.
Victoria Park is the first Perth suburb planned to receive access to the network, to be followed by Applecross and surrounding suburbs.
The company has announced that construction in Victoria Park is beginning this week and would involve laying fibre optic cable, digging trenches to lay new pipes, and installing pit infrastructure.
Work is expected to take five months, meaning Victoria Park residents could have access to the high-speed broadband network by early next year.
Syntheo, which is a joint venture between telco network contractor Service Stream and land and building contractor Lend Lease, has also begun designing the network for other suburbs including Applecross, Mount Pleasant, South Perth and Burswood, with construction in those areas expected to begin over the coming months.
The start of construction coincides with an announcement from Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Minister Stephen Conroy that WA will host three ground stations for the provision of satellite services.
Access to the NBN via satellite is expected to account for no more than 7 per cent of connections.
The three stations will be built in Moonyoonooka near Geraldton, Binduli near Kalgoorlie, and Carnarvon with expectations they’ll be operating from 2015.
Construction of the ground stations is tipped to create around 90 jobs once construction begins early next year.
