T&A: Australia is set to build its biggest infrastructure project in the country’s history — a fast broadband Internet network worth around US$30 billion. Already, a Reuters report states that two of Australia’s largest telecommunications firms — Telstra Corp and rival SingTel-owned Optus — have submitted bids with the government to build the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Australia has been known for its slower and costly Internet access when compared to many other developed nations. Prior to the national plan, the government has been looking at tenders submitted by private corporations like Optus and Axia NetMedia for a fibre network promising speeds of up to 12 Megabits per second.

The government then decided to form a partnership with a private company instead, with plans to build a high-tech fibre-to-the-home network with speeds of up to 100 Megabits per second.

The NBN is definitely a good move to increase the country’s competitiveness, considering the scale and size of its geography and distance between cities. Expect construction to begin early next year.