The Queensland government will spend $54 million over the next three years developing mobile communications infrastructure across the state.
Telstra and Optus have both announced their selection as tenderers for the contract.
Telstra says it will deploy nine additional CDMA base stations and manage some 23,000 government department mobile services.
Telstra managing director for business and government sales Mike Foster said the deal is one of the largest mobile accounts in Australia. “This is a tremendous win for the Queensland community who will receive expanded mobile services in remote areas,” Foster said. “We are on track to complete 177 GSM and CDMA base station projects
Optus’ piece of the pie will involve building “up to 80” GSM base stations, of which, according to Optus Mobile managing director Allen Lew, more than 70 per cent of the planned sites will be in rural and regional areas.
“Optus congratulates the government on its ability to leverage the expertise and revenues of the two largest mobile operators in this country for the benefit of the state,” Lew said.
Queensland premier Peter Beattie stated that the deal is “a huge win for Queenslanders without costing a cent of public money”.
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