PIPE Networks Pty Limited (PIPE), a wholly owned subsidiary of TPG Telecom Limited (TPM) announced the signing with Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited (VHA) for a high speed fibre based network by way of an Indefeasible Rights to Use (IRU) telecommunications agreement. Under the agreement, PIPE will provide capacity on its existing fibre network and also roll out approximately 900 kilometres of new dark fibre over two years, providing connectivity between select VHA sites in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. This represents a 60 per cent increase over PIPE’s existing network footprint of approximately 1500 kilometres and cements PIPE’s position as Australia’s third largest metro dark fibre provider.
“The growth in mobile internet devices and associated data usage in recent years has seen mobile carriers invest heavily in their networks to enhance their customers’ mobile experience. I am delighted that VHA has chosen PIPE Networks to be a significant part of their overall investment in their high speed network,” said Jason Sinclair, CEO of PIPE Networks. “This is the largest customer contract in the history of PIPE Networks and continues an excellent year for PIPE which has seen the addition of several high profile clients to our customer base.”
The contract is the latest in a series of significant investments that VHA has made into the Vodafone 3G network to bring a stronger, better network to the more than 7 million customers they service nationally. Design and delivery of the network will be handled by PIPE’s ISO 9001 certified Fibre Operations and Provisioning Team. Initial designs are well under way and first services under the contract will be delivered mid-2011. The size of the network build (900km) will increase capital expenditure in the years FY11 – FY13 but otherwise is not expected to have a material impact on the TPG Group’s results for FY11.
PIPE Networks is a provider of dark fibre, tele-housing and managed solutions across all State capital cities of Australia. It also owns and operates a 6900km undersea cable system between Sydney and Guam that allows direct connectivity to the USA and South-East Asia. PIPE Networks is a wholly -owned subsidiary of TPG Telecom Limited (TPM), one of Australia’s largest providers of telecommunications services to retail, corporate and government sectors.
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