NBN Co extends Ericsson's contract

NBN Co has selected Ericsson Australia to deliver fixed wireless and satellite services to families and businesses across regional and rural Australia.

Under the four-year contract, Ericsson will maintain responsibility for the operation of the NBN fixed wireless service. In addition, it will manage the ground systems of the forthcoming long-term satellite service. The two satellites, purpose built for NBN Co, are scheduled to launch into orbit from next year.

The contract will also see Ericsson migrate NBN Co’s 42,000 existing interim satellite users to the long-term satellite service when it commences operations to provide them with an improved broadband service.

NBN Co Chief Operating Officer Greg Adcock said: “Ericsson is already playing a central role in helping the NBN to enable the digital economy in regional and rural Australia and to narrow the digital divide between the city and the bush.

“It is a sensible use of taxpayers’ money to have a single entity managing customer appointments, installation visits, service calls, network performance reporting and network maintenance for all NBN users outside the fixed-line footprint.”

Ericsson’s involvement with the long-term satellite service will complement the telemetry, tracking and control (satellite flight operations) functions to be carried out by Optus.

As part of the contract, Ericsson has submitted an industry plan to support local businesses in delivering its obligations.