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High Speed Broadband to Arnhem Land wins Major Award
Telstra's Arnhem Land fibre/Broadbanding the Top End project has taken out 2 major awards at the Australian Institute of Project Management Awards Gala Dinner held in Darwin.
The project was judged Category Winner in "Construction/Engineering Projects with a total budget of less than $100M" and was also judged the overall "Project of the Year" for the NT.
The $34 million project saw 800km of fibre optic cable laid between Jabiru and Nhulunbuy; connecting 8,000 people living in northern Arnhem Land to the nation's fibre optic backbone and world class, high speed broadband. The Arnhem Land fibre backbone project was completed in December 2008 and work has commenced on spurs to service four off-shore communities, with a completion date of late 2009.
The Arnhem Land fibre project received funding support from the Northern Territory Government and Rio Tinto Alcan. The Northern Land Council was instrumental, ensuring Traditional Owners and communities were consulted throughout the project.
Telstra Country Wide Acting Area General Manager for the Northern Territory, Stewart Lines, said the project was a demonstration of Telstra's ongoing commitment to improving telecommunications services for all Territorians.
"We are delighted to win this prestigious Award," he said, "It is an acknowledgement of how positive partnerships can provide great opportunities.
"With the completion of the fibre backbone, people living in Northern Arnhem Land now have access to technology that has the potential to be life changing."
"There are now more opportunities available for significant improvement to health and education outcomes for people living in this remote part of Australia.
"This award is a tribute to Telstra's planning and construction teams and their project management capabilities," Mr Lines said.
The Arnhem Land fibre/Broadbanding the Top End project will now progress to the National Project Management Achievement Awards to be held in Adelaide as part of the AIPM National Conference from 11 - 14 October.
Community Phones, another Telstra project, also made the finals of the Australian Institute of Project Management Awards. This year Telstra installed 20 new phones in remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory, taking the total number of community phones across Australia to 238, mostly in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Reference Number: 260/2009
