Media releases
Brisbane To Cairns Fibre Optic Network Open For Business
Issue Date: 28 August 2001Issued By: Reef Networks Pty Limited
Reef Networks, an $85 million telecommunications link along the coast of Queensland, was officially launched today by the Premier, the Hon Peter Beattie in Brisbane and the Hon Paul Lucas, Minister for Innovation and the Information Economy in Cairns.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Wal King AM, Chief Executive Officer, Leighton Holdings, on behalf of Reef Networks, said “The launch of the project is the culmination of a successful partnership between the Queensland Government, financiers – Vytel, Macquarie Bank and ABN-AMRO and technology partners – Lucent Technologies and Corning, supported by advisers, Global Pacific.”
The network provides 1800 kilometres of high quality fibre-optic cable broadband access to all the major population centres between Brisbane and Cairns.
“Reef Networks is like a six lane highway between Brisbane and Cairns. There are no intersections and no traffic lights, only on and off ramps to all the towns along the way. There are other ways of getting from Brisbane to Cairns but this is the fastest way,” Mr King said.
The cable is installed primarily in the rail corridor under an agreement with Queensland Rail. Reef Networks owns and services the cable for a 30 year period. For the first 10 years, capacity has been leased on the network by Cable and Wireless Optus.
Reef Networks is Australia’s first privately owned cable network. Construction commenced in January 2000 and was completed in April 2001. Since construction completion, testing of the network, including operations and maintenance activities, have been undertaken.
Reef Networks secured approximately $85 million in equity and debt funding from leading banks and financial institutions for the roll-out of the network. Investors include Vytel, Macquarie Bank and ABN-AMRO. The design and construction contract is valued at $65 million.
Visionstream, owned by Vytel which is a Leighton subsidiary, designed and constructed the network and is responsible for operations and maintenance. Leighton Contractors undertook the cable installation on behalf of Visionstream. Lucent Technologies supplied the 2.5Gbits transmission equipment and monitors the network through its Network Operations Centre in Sydney. Corning supplied the single mode fibre optic cable. The cable is non-metallic and contains 12 fibres. The network is capable of handling over 30,000 simultaneous telephone conversations and other combinations of voice, video, broadband data and Internet services.
Visionstream provides an additional customer service centre in Brisbane for the management of fault prevention and repair.
Integrity and performance of the optical fibre is constantly monitored. In the event of a fibre break, alarms are relayed to field staff with the location of the fault identified to within 5 metres.
A high level of consultation was undertaken with the community in all aspects relating to the deployment of the cable. Consultation was undertaken with local councils, indigenous groups and relevant Commonwealth and State authorities.
A Reef Networks fact sheet and route map is attached.
For further information please contact:
Mr Ashley Mason
General Manager, External Affairs
Leighton Holdings Limited
Tel 02 9925 6027 or mobile 0412 550 098
Fact Sheet
Employment Facts
- Number of people employed during construction: 180
- Number of people employed to maintain and operate: 30
Construction Facts
- Project Construction Cost: $65 Million
- Length of Network: 1,680 kms
- Cable Used: 1,870 kms
- Number of Fibres: 12 SMOF
- Time to Construct: 9 Months
- Depth of Cable: 1.2 metres
- Number of Splices: 400
- Number of Marker Posts: 8,400
- Number of Points of Connection with Other Carriers: 9
- Number of Repeater Points (approximately every 100kms): 19
- Number of Spur Cables: 75
- Design Operation: 2.5Gbps
- Number of Telephone Conversations Capable: 30,240
- Number of Queensland Regional Centres with Access: 20