According to a recent announcement by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, Brisbane is set to be serviced by two super-fast broadband networks with the National Broadband Network (NBN) to go ahead with is scheduled roll out in the city.

Newman said that Brisbane-based i3 Asia Pacific will make a $600-million investment in a fibre optic broadband network that will be rolled out within the coming four-year period. The network will deliver 100-megabits-per-second
(Mbps) broadband to nearly 463,000 homes, and businesses; that too at no cost to ratepayers.

The network build, which was first flagged in July, is scheduled to start early next year, and will connect 15,000 homes per month. The network will utilize Brisbane’s sewer system and make use of ‘microtrenching’ to help decrease costs - almost by as much as 60 per cent - and disruption linked with the laying of fibre optic cables.

Newman suggested the network will essentially go together with the federal government’s planned infrastructure, and expressed the hope that the networks would not double up.

According to i3 CEO Elfed Thomas, NBN Co had confirmed that as long as his network was an open access model and met regulatory control, the NBN would not “overbuild” it. Thomas added: “Our suite of technologies allows the cost per home to be up to 60% less than traditional build. We have completed a survey of the assets in Brisbane and conclude that these savings are realistic.”