Terria (consortium)

Infobox Company
name = Terria

type = Consortium
foundation = July 2006
owner = Joint venture of AAPT, Internode Systems, iiNet, Macquarie Telecom, Optus, Primus Telecom, Soul and TransACT
industry = Telecommunications
location = Australia
area_served = Australia
key_people = Michael Egan (Chairman)
Michael Simmons (Bid Manager)
products = Bidding to become a Broadband network service provider
homepage = [http://terria.com.au terria.com.au]
intl = yes

Terria, formerly known as G9cite news | last = Corner | first = Stuart | title = G9 becomes TERRiA, barks about structural separation | work = iTWire | date = 2008-05-21 | url = http://www.itwire.com/content/view/18345/127/ | accessdate = 2008-05-24 ] is a name used to describe a consortium of Australian Internet service providers who, in 2006, formed a consortium to bid for the right to build the proposed National Broadband Network.cite news | last = Jenkins | first = Chris | title = Telstra rivals prepare to build fibre network | work = The Australian | date = 2006-12-07 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20883863-643,00.html | accessdate = 2006-12-07 ]

The companies involved are AAPT, Internode Systems, iiNet, Macquarie Telecom, Optus, Primus Telecom, Soul and TransACT. Powertel was an original member of the G9, but was acquired by AAPT, and the rebranding of the consortium to Terria reflects this change.

A notable absence from the list is Telstra. Terria came about in response to a proposal from Telstra to build a Fibre to the node (FTTN) communications network around Australia. The consortium (which at the time comprised eight companies — iiNet was yet to join) responded that the new network would lock out all competitors, and would only provide speeds which were achievable with the existing infrastructure. They proposed an alternate open network which, with Telstra's participation, would have covered a larger percentage of the population and allowed open competition for the same cost. [cite paper | title = A Competitive Model for National Broadband Upgrade | publisher = The Allen Consulting Group and dandolo partners | date = 2006-07-10 | url = http://www.optus.com.au/dafiles/OCA/AboutOptus/MediaCentre/SharedStaticFiles/SharedDocuments/FTTN_10july_2006.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2006-12-07 ] Telstra refused, and apparently due to regulatory issues, abandoned their original plan.

In December 2006, the group announced their intention to combine to invest in a Fibre To The Node network. They lodged a special access undertaking regarding pricing policy with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in June 2007.

In December 2007, the ACCC rejected the plan, due to a lack of incentives for providers of the service to compete. cite news | last = Best | first = Jo | title = ACCC rejects G9 proposal with a thumbs-up | work = ZDNet Australia | date = 2007-12-17 | url = http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/ACCC-rejects-G9-proposal-with-a-thumbs-up/0,130061791,339284587,00.htm | accessdate = 2008-05-24 ]

In May 2008, the consortium, upon its rebranding to Terria, placed the 5 million dollar bond for to take part in the tender process to develop the national broadband network promised by the Rudd federal government. [cite news | title = Terria launches national broadband bid | work = AAP via The Age | date = 2008-05-23 | url = http://news.theage.com.au/business/terria-launches-national-broadband-bid-20080523-2hjh.html | accessdate = 2008-05-24 ]

On the 3rd of September 2008 the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy announced that the closing date for the submissions of National Broadband Network proposals would be the 26th of November 2008. [cite web | title = Date set for National Broadband Network proposals | work = media release | date = 2008-09-03 | url = http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2008/066 | accessdate = 2008-09-05 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.terria.com.au/ Official Site]
* [http://www.fairgobroadband.com.au/ Fair Go Broadband]
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