INTERNET service provider iiNet says it has entered into an agreement to acquire rival Netspace for $40 million.
The deal would be funded by debt, iiNet said.
iiNet chief executive officer, Michael Malone, said the acquisition would consolidate the company’s position as the leading challenger brand in the Australian telecommunications market.
THE US has weighed into the row over the Rudd Government’s plan to censor the internet, saying it has raised concerns about it with Australian officials. The Obama administration wants to encourage an open internet to enhance global economic growth and security and is mounting a diplomatic assault on threats to the open web around the world.
NBN Co has called for capability statements from design and construction services businesses to work on the fibre portion of the national broadband network.
The company has issued a Request for Capability Statement (RCS) to start the formal engagement process and expects to issue a formal request for proposals in June or July this year.
“The process will also encourage mid tier and smaller contractors that wish to register an interest and will ultimately help them offer their services to the head contractors,” NBN said in a statement.
NBN head of construction Patrick Flannigan said NBN Co wanted to hear from companies that had the proven capability to deliver large scale infrastructure projects in Australia.
Mr Flannigan said planned physical construction would involve a staged approach which would eventually pass more than ten million premises over eight years and require laying more than 200,000 kilometres of fibre cable.
