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Encyclopedia > Communications in Australia

Communications in Australia is dominated by the telecommunications provider, Telstra (short for Telecom Australia). Other telephone carriers include Optus (owned by Singapore Telecommunications), AAPT (owned by Telecom New Zealand), Soul, Vodafone and Powertel. Telecommunication involves the transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication. ... Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications (ASX: SGT). ... Singapore Telecommunications Limited SGX: T48 (commonly abbreviated as SingTel) is Singapores largest telecommunications company. ... AAPT is Australias 3rd largest land line telecommunications company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. ... Telecom New Zealand NZX: TEL ASX: TEL NYSE: NZT is a Wellington-based telephone company run as a publicly-traded private company since 1990. ... Soul Converged Communications, commonly known and promoted as Soul is an Australian telecommunications company based in Newcastle. ... Vodafone Group Plc is a mobile network operator headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire, England, UK. It is the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world by turnover and has a market value of about £84. ... Powertel is an Australian telecommunications company that operates urban and inter-city fibre optic networks across Australia. ...

Contents

Telephony

Australia's main line telephony network relies primarily on an optical fibre networks, with copper lines connecting households to local exchanges. For mobile telephony, Australia relies mainly on a dominant GSM network. 3G mobile phone services were introduced into major centers in 2003. The telephone system generally provides good domestic and international service. Fiber Optic strands An optical fiber in American English or fibre in British English is a transparent thin fiber for transmitting light. ... Cellular redirects here. ... Global System for Mobile communications (GSM: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world. ... 3G is the third generation of mobile phone standards and technology, after 2G. It is based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) family of standards under the International Mobile Telecommunications programme, IMT-2000. 3G technologies enable network operators to offer users a wider range of more advanced services while achieving...


Domestic:


Domestic satellite system for use in very remote areas, primarily the Optus satellites C1 and B3. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...


Domestic fibre-optic cables


Telstra, Optus, Nextgen Networks, PowerTel and AAPT are the main Intercity Networks with a collection of other providers having regional networks or Eastern Coast links. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... SingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications (ASX: SGT). ... Nextgen Networks is an Australian communications company which is a subsidiary of Leighton Holdings, one of Australias major companies. ... AAPT is Australias 3rd largest land line telecommunications company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. ... The Eastern states of Australia are the states adjoining the east coast of Australia. ...


Domestic microwave links


Telstra is the main user of microwave links in remote areas; WIN Television provides a network of microwave towers for distributions of Television, and provides common carrier services. Other providers such as Agile Communications provide backhaul services in South Australia. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... A microwave link is a transmission device which allows video / audio / data to be sent using radio waves between two locations from just a few feet to several miles apart. ... WIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, Australia. ... A common carrier is an organization that transports persons or goods, and offers its services to the general public. ... Agile Communications is a licensed national telecommunications carrier based in South Australia and was the first South Australian based company to gain this license. ... In telecommunications, backhauling is concerned with transporting traffic between distributed sites (typically access points) and more centralised points of presence. ...


International:


Fibre-optic cables to:

  • Fiji (Southern Cross Cables to Fiji, Hawaii, US Mainland); Capacity 240Gb/s with increase in capacity up to 1.2Tb/s Upgrade in 2007/2008 [1]
  • Japan (Australia-Japan Cable to Guam & Japan); primarily used as an alternative path to the United States with a capacity of 2 fibre pairs of 320GB/s.
  • Indonesia (Sea-Me-We3) to Indonesia and onto Asia, Middle East, US & Comprehensive Country List (Sea-Me-We3); capacity of 40GB/s.

In addition, three new cables are planned: The Southern Cross Cable, operated by a company named Southern Cross Cables, is a trans-Pacific network of submarine fibre optic cables. ... The Southern Cross Cable, operated by a company named Southern Cross Cables, is a trans-Pacific network of submarine fibre optic cables. ... The Australia-Japan Cable, or AJC, is a submarine telecommunications cable system linking Australia and Japan via Guam. ... SEA-ME-WE 3 or South-East Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 3 is a submarine telecommunications cable linking those regions. ... SEA-ME-WE 3 or South-East Asia - Middle East - Western Europe 3 is a submarine telecommunications cable linking those regions. ... The APNG-2 submarine communications cable is being constructed to link Papua New Guinea directly to Australia and indirectly to New Zealand and the rest of the world, and will be in service from late 2006. ... Jasuraus is a 5Gb/s, 2800km optical submarine telecommunications cable connecting Jakarta in Indonesia to Port Hedland In Australia. ... APCN or Asia-Pacific Cable Network is a submarine telecommunications cable system linking nine Asian countries. ...

Satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) + Several Singtel Optus Earth Stations for Satellites Located in the major cities This generally refers to a common problem in Hydraulic Design. ... Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (NYSE: VSL, BSE: 500483 , NSE:VSNLEQ) is a global Indian-telecommunications company. ... The Telstra un-named proposed submarine cable was announced[1] [2] on 28 March 2007 by its proposed owner, Telstra, the largest telecommunications carrier in Australia. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... Gondwana-1 is a submarine communications cable network connecting New Caledonia and Australia due to be completed in the first quarter of 2008. ... Intelsat, Ltd. ... Inmarsat is an international telecommunications company founded in 1979, originally as an intergovernmental organization. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...


Ownership statistics:

  • Telephones - main lines in use: 10.82 million (2003)
  • Telephones - mobile cellular: 14.35 million (2003)
  • Australia's first telephone service (connecting the Melbourne and South Melbourne offices of Robinson Brothers) was launched in 1879, with the first telephone exchange opened in Melbourne in 1880. Around 7,757 calls were handled in 1884.
  • The Australian networks were government assets operating under colonial legislation modelled on that of Britain. The UK Telegraph Act 1868 for example empowered the Postmaster General to "acquire, maintain and work electric telegraphs" and foreshadowed the 1870 nationalisation of competing British telegraph companies.
  • The nature of the networks meant that regulation in Australia was undemanding: network personnel were government employees or agents, legislation was enhanced on an incremental basis and restrictions could be achieved through infrastructure. All the colonies ran their telegraph networks at a deficit through investment in infrastructure and subsidisation of regional access, generally with bipartisan support.
  • Government-operated post office and telegraph networks - the largest parts of the bureaucracy - were combined into a single department in each colony on the model of the UK Post Office: South Australia in 1869, Victoria in 1870, Queensland in 1880 and New South Wales in 1893.

Section 51(v) of the Australian Constitution gave the new national government power over all postal, telegraphic, telephonic and 'other like services'. The latter encompassed future developments such as radio, television and the internet. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... South Melbourne Town Hall. ... The Telegraph Act of 1868 (31 & 32 Vict. ... S51(v) of the Australian Constitution: Postal, Telegraphic, Telephonic and like Services This is a part of Section 51 of the Australian Constitution that gives the Commonwealth power to legislate on postal, telegraphic, telophonic, and other like services. The High Court has taken a flexible approach to interpreting this provision...


The colonial networks (staff, switches, wires, handsets, buildings etc) were transferred to the Commonwealth and became the responsibility of the first Postmaster-General (PMG), a federal Minister overseeing the Postmaster-General's Department that managed all domestic telephone, telegraph and postal services. With 16,000 staff (and assets of over £6 million) it accounted for 90% of the new federal bureaucracy. That figure climbed to over 120,000 staff (around 50% of the federal bureaucracy) by the late sixties. PMG manhole in a city street, Perth, Western Australia. ...


Public phones were available in a handful of post offices and otherwise restricted to major businesses, government agencies, institutions and wealthier residences. Eight million telegrams were sent that year (?) over 43,000 miles of line. A payphone or pay phone is a public telephone, with payment by inserting money (usually coins) or a debit card (a special telephone card or a multi-purpose card) or credit card before a call is made. ...

A memorial at Narrandera, New South Wales to the "J" trunk route linking the Australian cities and towns on the east coast
A memorial at Narrandera, New South Wales to the "J" trunk route linking the Australian cities and towns on the east coast

There were around 33,000 phones across Australia, with 7,502 telephone subscribers in inner Sydney and 4,800 in the Melbourne central business district. A trunk line between Melbourne (headquarters of the PMG Department) and Sydney was established in 1907, with extension to Adelaide in 1914, Brisbane in 1923, Perth in 1930 and Hobart in 1935. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ... Narrandera is a town and Local Government Area (see Narrandera Shire Council) in southern New South Wales, Australia. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... For other uses, see Adelaide (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Brisbane (disambiguation). ... Location of Perth within Australia This article is about the metropolitan area of Perth, Western Australia. ... Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. ...


Overseas cable links to Australia remained in private hands, reflecting the realities of imperial politics, demands on the new government's resources and perceptions of its responsibilities. The PMG department became responsible for some international shortwave services - particularly from the 1920s - and for a new Coastal Radio Service in 1911, with the first of a network of stations operational in February 1912. Australia and New Zealand had ratified the 1906 Berlin Radio-telegraph Convention in 1907.


During the 1930s the PMG became responsible for the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC). Its management of the telecommunications network echoed the values enshrined by the ABC and the BBC. The ABC or Australian Broadcasting Corporation is the national, Australia. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...


In the era of privatization is has been fashionable to backtrack to a time when the PMG was supposedly operated by enlightened technocrats in the national interest and without concerns of profit. That vision is problematical, as it is clear that decisions about the location and management of facilities (switches and service centers) reflected local political demands and the 'Australian Settlement' first articulated by Alfred Deakin. Alfred William Deakin (3 August 1856 – 7 October 1919), Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later second Prime Minister of Australia. ...


The PMG was, after all, a major employer in rural areas, the Minister generally came from the Country Party and there was an emphasis on in-house development and local manufacturing. Governments of whatever persuasion used the organisation as a cash cow; it was not a discrete statutory body or company and faced problems in preventing profits from being absorbed by the national consolidated revenue account.


Deregulation

In Australia the 1982 Davidson Enquiry regarding private sector involvement in delivery of existing/proposed telecommunications services recommended ending Telecom Australia's monopoly. In the preceding year Aussat Pty Ltd, another government agency, had been established to operate domestic satellite telecommunication and broadcasting services.


In practice Aussat's charter restricted it from acting as a competitor to Telecom, including a prohibition on interconnecting public switched traffic with Telecom's network. Aussat's viability was undermined through restrictions on raising capital, of critical importance given tepid government support and increasing costs. It wasn't until 1985 that Australia's first geostationary communications satellite was operational; by late 1990 it had debts of about $400 million.


The Australian Telecommunications Commission was restructured as the Australian Telecommunications Corporation, trading as Telecom Australia, in 1989. That year saw the last domestic telegram handled by Telecom, with responsibility for telegram operations handed over to Australia Post.


Proposals for a merger of Aussat and OTC (thereby permitting national delivery of telecommunication services in competition with Telecom) were rejected in favor of disposal of the satellite operator to a non-government entity that would be allowed to compete with Telecom.


Immediately following the decision that Optus Communications - a private sector entity owned by a consortium that included BellSouth - would be given Australia's second general carrier licence purchased the Satellite assets with many of the Non Satellite Assets remaining with the Government as part of Telstra. BellSouth Corporation was an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. ...


Cable & Wireless, privatised after several decades of UK government ownership, took a controlling stake in Optus in 1998 (under the banner Cable & Wireless Optus) before control passed to SingTel in 2001. Singapore Telecommunications Limited SGX: T48 (commonly abbreviated as SingTel) is Singapores largest telecommunications company. ...


Optus was initially allowed to enter the Australian telecommunications marketplace for national long distance and international telephone calls, with other players prevented from entering the general telephone market until 1997 and 'pro-competition' mechanisms under the Trade Practices Act 1974- such as guaranteed access to Telecom's existing infrastructure on reasonable terms - meant to ensure its viability. The Trade Practices Act 1974 is an act of the Parliament of Australia. ...


Telstra also faced competition in market niches such as long distance corporate voice and data services, with AAPT (a spinoff of the local AAP financial data/news service) active from 1991. MCI Communications, later absorbed by the ill-fated WorldCom, was an early major shareholder of AAPT but departed in 1994. New Zealand's Todd Corporation took a 24.5% stake in AAPT in 1992. In 1995 AAPT launched a mobile phone service, using Vodafone as its network supplier, acquired a 50% of Australian ISP connect.com.au Pty Ltd and bought NewsNet ITN. In the same year SingTel acquired a 24.5% shareholding in AAPT. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... AAPT is Australias 3rd largest land line telecommunications company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telecom New Zealand. ... Todd Corporation is a New Zealand company owned and controlled by the Todd family and based in Wellington. ...


In 1996 AAPT bought 40% of Cellular One Communications, followed by QNET Communications. In that year it gained a carrier licence, offering long distance services to the residential market and building communications networks for the South Australian and Victorian governments. It subsequently moved to 100% of CorpTEL Communications, its AAPT Sat-Tel satellite joint venture, connect.com.au and Cellular One. US operator Primus acquired Axicorp (rebadged as Primus Telecom) in 1997, gaining a carriers license and expanding into internet services. Primus Telecom is a telecommunications provider, founded in 1994 by ex-MCI executives. ...


Telstra and beyond

AOTC was rebadged as Telstra Corporation in 1993, trading internationally as Telstra from that year and domestically as Telstra from 1995. Expansion into Indonesia and other Asian markets was not strikingly successful, with the group winding back overseas involvements in 1997-98. In 1996 Telstra recorded the largest profit in Australian corporate history, some $3.8 billion and was partly privatised in November 1997 through sale by the Commonwealth of around 33.3% of its shareholding. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite...


Privatisation followed formal opening of Australia's telecommunications markets to full competition in July 1997. A further 16.6% was sold by the Commonwealth in September 1999; sale of the government's 50.1% stake involves legislation. The new regime featured a single national phone numbering scheme and any-to-any connectivity requirements, with the expectation that mobile, phones, fixed-line phones and other devices would be able to communicate with each other irrespective of whether the service was provided by Telstra or one of its competitors. In November 2006, an additional 33% was Sold by the Government, with the remaining 17% being placed in a Future Fund to provide full separation from Government and Regulations, after many conflicts of Interest with the Government being primary shareholder and Competition Regulator. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... The ACCC Logo The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is an independent Australian commonwealth government authority established in 1995 from the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission (TPC) and the Prices Surveillance Authority, to protect consumer rights, business rights and obligations, perform industry regulation and price monitoring and...


In July 1997 the Australian telecommunications sector was opened for full competition with removal of restrictions on the number of licensed operators and anti-competition mechanisms (replaced by general competition law under the oversight of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission).


By the end of 1998 there were over 20 licensed telecommunications carriers controlling facilities in Australia; several hundred other entities used those facilities to provide services. That had climbed to 99 by May 2002 (with 11 licences surrendered); the Australian Communications Authority estimated that the benefits to consumers of telecommunications services from competition in 2000/1 were between $5.5 billion and $12 billion. The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) is the Government of Australias regulator of radiocommunications and telecommunications. ...


Telstra's recurrent overseas ventures had proved unsuccessful, with withdrawal from some South East Asian markets and major writedowns of joint venture investments such as the $2.7bn Reach undersea cable with Hong Kong-based PCCW. Recurrent takeovers in the software/services sector (eg Solution 6 Holdings, Sausage Software) have proved disappointing, with Telstra buying KAZ Group in 2004 for over $250 million. In 2004 Telstra paid $636 million for the Australian operations of Trader Classified Media NV: two classified ad print publications, five complementary online sites, two automotive inserts and the Trading Post brand. Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... REACH Global Services Ltd. ... PCCW Limited (PCCW, 電訊盈科) (NYSE: PCW) is the largest telecommunication enterprise in Hong Kong. ... Sausage Software is an Australian software company which produces the HotDog web authoring tool. ... Trader Classified Media is one of the largest classified advertising companies in the world. ...


Policy challenges

Telstra however retained a dominant position - particularly in the residential market, through ownership of infrastructure - and much public debate centered on Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite...

  • the advisability and timing for disposal of the Commonwealth government's remaining stake
  • definitions of 'basic service' (to be provided by Telstra and competitors, in some circumstances on a subsidized basis).

Telstra management encouraged sale, others called for retention of the stake (or even purchase of private holdings), still others called for various splits of services and assets (with for example public ownership of the infrastructure, to be substantially enhanced to bring broadband to all Australians - regardless of cost). Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite... Telstra Corporation (ASX: TLS, NZX: TLS, NYSE: TLS) (formed from Telecom Australia) is an Australian telecommunications and media company under private ownership, with a dominant position in landline telephone services, a large share of mobile phone services, domestic consumer (including dial-up access and Broadband internet broadband cable modem, satellite...


Industry specialists noted the difficulties facing Telstra's smaller competitors, often perceived to be undercapitalised, or with uncertain support from ailing overseas parents.


Radio

Main article: Radio in Australia

Radio stations in Australia include commercial radio stations, national state-funded broadcasters (predominantly the ABC and SBS) and community radio stations. Licensing is handed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). Here is a list of radio stations that broadcast in Australia. ... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation or ABC is Australias national non-profit public broadcaster. ... Community radio is a type of radio service that caters to the interests of a certain area, broadcasting material that is popular to a local audience but is overlooked by more powerful broadcast groups. ... Australian Communications and Media Authority is an Australian government agency whose main roles are to regulate broadcasting, radiocommunications and telecommunications, and to respresent Australian interests in international communications matters. ...


In February 2006, Commercial Radio Australia announced a digital radio network. [6] Media:Example. ...

  • Radio broadcast stations: AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
  • Radios: 25.5 million (1997)

Television

Free-to-air television stations in Australia include three commercial networks, transmitted in various parts of the country by several different stations, two state-funded broadcasters (ABC and SBS), a small number of community television stations, and some digital datacasting services. Australian television channels include two government owned national networks, three major commercial capital city networks, several regional commercial networks and independent stations that are generally affiliates of the major networks, and a handful of community stations. ... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation or ABC is Australias national non-profit public broadcaster. ... The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is one of two government funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ...


Australia is transitioning to digital free-to-air broadcasting and will phase out analogue broadcasts no earlier than 2010. Australian digital TV regulations call for standard definition (SD) broadcasts in 576i and a required amount of high definition (HD) content in at least 576p format. HD quota is currently set at 1040 hours annually. State media (ABC and SBS) are able to offer multi-channel services, however commercial networks are restricted in this area until 2008 in deference to the Pay-TV satellite and cable networks. Datacasting is also restricted. 2010 (MMX) will be a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Standard-definition television or SDTV refers to television systems that have a lower resolution than HDTV systems. ... 576i is the shorthand name for a video mode. ... Projection screen in a home theater, displaying a high-definition television image. ... The Australian Broadcasting Corporation or ABC is Australias national non-profit public broadcaster. ... The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is one of two government funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television networks, the other being the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). ... Datacasting is the broadcasting of data over a wide area via radio waves. ...


As of September 2005, there were about 1,824,000 installed digital set-top boxes in Australia (roughly 12% of televisions). The term set-top box (STB) describes a device that connects to a television and some external source of signal, and turns the signal into content then displayed on the screen. ...

  • Television broadcast stations: 104 (1997)
  • Television broadcast networks: 5 in most areas
  • Cable & Satellite Television Companies: 6 (Foxtel, Optus TV, Austar, SelecTV, TransACT and Neighbourhood Cable)
  • Televisions: 15.2 million (2005)

Foxtel is a subscription television company in Australia, formed through a joint venture between Telstra and News Corporation. ... Optus Television is the cable television division of Australian telecommunications company Optus. ... An Austar Remote Austar is an Australian telecommunications company. ... SelecTV is an Australian satellite based subscription television broadcasting service headed by CEO Jim Blomfield (previously CEO of FOXTEL). ...

Internet

Main article: Internet in Australia

Internet access was first available in Australia to universities via AARNet in 1989. ...

References and notes

  1. ^ a b Southern Cross Announcement
  2. ^ Alcatel Jasaraus Information Page
  3. ^ Pipe Networks Release on New Australia to Guam Cable
  4. ^ Telstra Cable on Sydney Morning Herald
  5. ^ Alcatel Announcement on Gondwana-1
  6. ^ [1] Digital Broadcasting Australia

  Results from FactBites:
 
Communications in Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2206 words)
Communications in Australia is dominated by the telecommunications provider, Telstra (short for Telecom Australia) which is 51% government-owned and 49% market controlled.
Australia's first telephone service (connecting the Melbourne and South Melbourne offices of Robinson Brothers) was launched in 1879, with the first telephone exchange opened in Melbourne in 1880.
Australia is transitioning to digital free-to-air broadcasting and will phase out analogue broadcasts no earlier than 2010.
1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2001 (3473 words)
The potential for wireless communication in a country as large and scarcely populated as Australia was immediately evident, and by the end of World War I government wireless stations were established along the entire Australian coastline.
As Australia entered the final decade of the century, having achieved basic access for all Australians and in view of the growing importance of telecommunications in the international marketplace, the Government changed the focus of its communications policy.
Australia has one of the highest levels of mobile telephone ownership in the world, and is second in Internet takeup rate only to the United States.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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