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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 05 Hansard (Tuesday, 25 May 2004) . . Page.. 2208 ..

When reading the answers below, it should be noted that ACTEW has a 24.9% ownership interest in TransACT and also owns 50% of the ActewAGL Joint Venture which, from 1 February 2004, entered into a strategic alliance with TransACT to integrate selected services between the two entities.

(1) TransACT’s original business model for the rollout of its optic fibre cabling (utilising Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line [VDSL] technology) only covered the older suburbs of Canberra with above-ground power poles. The majority of these suburbs currently have access to the full range of TransACT’s services (telephony, high-speed data, television and video services) and the optic fibre cable has been rolled out past approximately 60,000 premises. TransACT’s original business plan did not include funding to extend its services to Tuggeranong and Gungahlin, which have under-ground services.

• I am advised by TransACT that its original VDSL technology involved the installation of optic fibre cable to a purpose-built ‘node’ within 300 metres of customers’ premises and then connecting these premises with copper wires from each node.

Due to technological developments, TransACT’s services can now be made available to all Canberra suburbs, including those with underground cabling, via Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology. The ADSL technology (delivering telephony, high-speed data and [in the future] television and video services) has been rolled out past approximately 10,000 premises in Civic and Tuggeranong, with plans for a further 30,000 premises to have access over the next 6-12 months.

• The ADSL technology is far more cost effective than the previous VDSL technology and is delivered by installing optic fibre cable to existing telephone exchanges and utilising existing copper wires from that point onwards to connect premises up to 4-6 kilometres from the exchange.

Based on the above advice, no services appear to have been trimmed from those originally planned

(2) As described in the answer to (1) above, I understand that at present, TransACT is able to deliver telephony and high-speed data services across its ADSL technology. TransACT is currently testing the provision of television and video over its new technology.

(3) As described in the answer to (1) above, the entire TransACT network is supported by a backbone of fibre optic technology. TransACT has changed the mechanism for the final copper wire link to premises. TransACT does not plan to discontinue the use of fibre optic technology.

(4) I have been advised by ACTEW that the fibre optic network used by TransACT is not obsolete and remains world-leading in technology and application. The change in technology for the final link to premises is a result of developing technologies and/or existing infrastructure in areas with underground power, but has not rendered any existing infrastructure obsolete. No existing TransACT customers will see any reduction in services, if anything, they will be enhanced.

(5) Yes, existing TransACT customers will continue to receive all telephony, high-speed data and television/video services.

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