Senator The Hon Helen Coonan, April 1st, 2007

Australian Broadband Guarantee.

The $162.5 million Australian Broadband Guarantee will provide universal access to metro-comparable broadband services across Australia. The Australian Broadband Guarantee will fill in any remaining broadband blackspots-whether in metropolitan or rural Australia. The Australian Broadband Guarantee follows on from the success of the $878 million Broadband Connect program and the $50 million Metro Broadband Connect program. (more.)

Australian Broadband Guarantee (Download PDF 195KB)

Media Release , March 1st, 2007

Bringing "Best of breed" Solutions to remote Australia.

Newly Formed Darwin Based Platinum Connect is a Communications Service Provider (CSP) with a difference. Launched to fill a large gap in the communications offerings in the NT, Platinum Connect has announced a suite of products designed specifically for Territorians. "The Northern Territory has been left in the dark ages for far to long, Platinum Connect is not so much of a business opportunity as a communications necessity" say's Mr. Andrew Thurlow director of Platinum Connect. "Territorians are fed up and sick of being treated like second class citizens, as though Darwin is not economically viable for the Traditional Carriers to spend any money on desperately needed infrastructure" he continues. Platinum Connect has been setup in an effort to drag Northern Australia into the communications 21st century.
Platinum Connect offers a large range of commercial networks, telecommunication & IP reticulation services for organisations of all types in all industries. Platinum Connect is a Communications Service Provider specializing in enterprise class, carrier grade Broadband, Satellite, Fibre and Wireless networks. Platinum Connect provides secure high speed services to the Territory and beyond, expanding throughout Australia. Platinum Connect manages an advanced broadband and telecommunication network to ensure business customers have access to the best IP communications technology available.
By combining these core products we can deliver services including Corporate IP telephony, unified messaging, IPTV, video/audio conferencing, and contact/call centre.
Our mission is to provide regional Australia access to a world-class, innovative, functional IP network. This network allows high-speed communication access for business, government and local communities through a single source.
Platinum Connect can also supply fibre networks to Darwin and Alice Springs with speeds to 1000Mbps office to office and high speed Internet Connectivity through its data centre operations.
Platinum Connect also manages ADSL, ISDN and Internet plans tailored to business and consumer needs.
The rich diversity of the suite of products offered is clear indicator to businesses in northern Australia that poor connectivity is a thing of the past.

Business Territory, Febuary 1st, 2007

Satellite communications offered to remote communities.

PLATINUM CONNECT, created by Territorian Andrew Thurlow, is offering cheap, high-speed satellite communications to the Territory's remote communities.
Every remote community in the Territory can now access high-speed internet connections via satellite, and in some cases for less than it costs in urban areas and major cities.
Customers in remote areas that do not have access to internet capabilities can get a satellite dish installed with no start-up costs and pay about $30 per month for broadband satellite internet.

Satellite communications offered to remote communities. (Download PDF 195KB)

Northern Territory News, January 31st, 2007

'Satellite dish links up remote people'Written by Alison Bevege.

A NEW Territory business is giving Telstra a run for its money.

Platinum Connect, created and owned by long-time Territorian Andrew Thurlow, is offering cheap, high-speed satellite communications to remote communities. From Nhulunbuy to Galiwinku and Papunya to Wadeye, every tiny community in the NT can access high-speed internet connections via satellite for -- in some cases -- less than it costs in urban areas and major cities.
Customers in remote areas that don't have access to ADSL or ISDN internet capabilities can get a satellite dish installed with no start-up costs and pay about $30 per month for broadband satellite internet. This is because under the Federal Government's $878 million Broadband Connect program, the company gets a $3300 subsidy for every client it provides satellite communications to in remote areas with no ADSL or ISDN access.
While Telstra announced a plan earlier this month to roll out ADSL services to remote areas, Mr Thurlow said these communities did not have to wait for ADSL, they could get satellite broadband now. "Anyone who is waiting for ADSL is crazy as you can be waiting for years -- talk to residents of Bayview or Karama,'' Mr Thurlow said.
Once a customer has access to ADSL, the $3300 grant would no longer apply.
Telstra spokeswoman Libby Beath said satellite internet had been available in remote areas since 2004, but there had been a decline in interest. Ms Beath said that was because higher speed broadband services were offered over Telstra's fixed and mobile networks.
Telstra satellite connections under the HiBIS scheme cost $69.95 per month. Telstra said its new Next G network would outpace satellites.