The Federal Government has awarded Telstra, Fujitsu and TransACT places on a whole-of-government panel for internet network services.
The three firms were the first to be added to the panel arrangement announced in August last year.
An Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) spokesman said more companies could be added "in the near future", as negotiations and contractual arrangements were finalised.
Agencies could use the panel to source network carriage, virtual connection management, IP carriage and major internet connection services.
They would likely connect their WANs through one of eight internet gateways formed under a separate consolidation program led by AGIMO.
The initiative, which seeks to reduce the 124 existing gateways to a smaller number led by eight lead agencies, was established as a key measure for AGIMO to pursue following the 2010 federal election.
Defence, one of the lead agencies, signed Verizon Business in April for $52.9 million to provide a new gateway with five times' the capacity of the department's previous hardware.
The panellists would hold their positions for an initial three years with the option of two sets of one-year extensions.
The AGIMO recently announced participants on a panel supplying fixed and mobile telephony services. Both Telstra and Fujitsu also won places on this panel.
