Telstra pumps $5.5m into South Queensland projects

By Staff Writers on Nov 25, 2008 3:24PM

Telstra has dropped $5.5 million into two communications infrastructure projects in Southern Queensland to provide a backbone for mining and gas developments in the region.

The first investment is a $3.7 million transmission upgrade linking Toowoomba, Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles, Roma, St George, Goondiwindi and Middle Ridge due for completion in December 2008.

The second is a $1.8 million optical fibre installation between Taroom and Cracow, which is due for completion in June next year.

Head of Telstra Country Wide Geoff Booth couldn’t resist crowing about the investments in regional Australia – less than 24 hours before one of the largest communications infrastructure projects to potentially affect regional Australians passes a milestone with the closing of NBN RFP submissions.

Telstra remains uncommitted to that particular process, at least publicly.

“Telstra is out there in regional Australia making major investments in areas where no one else has infrastructure to help regionally-based businesses compete on the world stage,” Booth said.

“The $3.7 million transmission upgrade will give greater telecommunications capacity in the named areas. It is a good investment in the future and it is our mark of confidence in the region.

“The second investment is the $1.8 million Taroom-Cracow optical fibre project. We are installing optical fibre in the ground to complete an optic fibre loop. It is critical for some of the large developments that are occurring in the area and will help underpin the substantial mining and gas developments in the region,” Booth said.