NBN Co signs Visionstream for Tasmanian rollout

NBN Co has finalised a contract with Visionstream Australia for the construction of the remainder of the fibre-based part of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Tasmania.

Under the contract, Visionstream will replace copper telephone lines with fibre-optic broadband in cities, towns and suburbs covering around 200,000 homes and businesses.

The four-year design, construction and maintenance contract is valued at approximately $300 million (including materials such as fibre-optic cable), with an option for renewal over each of the following two years.

NBN Co’s Chief Operations Officer, Ralph Steffens, said: “It’s appropriate that the state that was the first to be connected to the NBN will be the first where the rollout will be complete.”

According to NBN Co, the contract will generate up to 800 new jobs at the peak of the rollout, with some employees remaining on as permanent to oversee maintenance and upgrades of the fibre network.

This will be accompanied by telecommunications and construction training schemes funded by the Tasmanian government. The accredited training will be offered in Launceston, Burnie and Hobart.