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wiredInUSA - October 2016
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Nextgen Group and Alcatel-Lucent
Submarine Networks (ASN) have launched
Australia’s first purpose-built, subsea
fiber optic network to serve the growing
need for telecommunications services in
Australia’s North West growth corridor.
The North West Cable System (NWCS)
creates a link from Darwin, in the Northern
Territory, to Port Hedland in Western
Australia, connecting offshore gas and
oil facilities in the Browse Basin to onshore
data centers and business headquarters.
The high speed data communication
cable is integrated into Nextgen’s
17,000km national transmission network
and Metronode’s national network of
data centers.
Nextgen Group’s CEO, David Yuile, said
the $139m cable system will not only
provide essential support for Australia’s
offshore oil and gas projects, but promote
competition with new telecommunication
infrastructure for businesses andconsumers
in regional communities at the cable
landing points.
North West data
passage
Australia’s government has announced
the creation of a $15 million seed fund to
back the development of clean energy
technologies.
Australian minister for the environment
and energy Josh Frydenberg announced
that the fund (CESF) will be managed by
Artesian Venture Partners and will invest
in between 30 and 50 start-up businesses
over the next five years.
Some of the finance will come from the
state-owned Clean Energy Innovation
Fund (CEIF), established earlier this year to
drive research incleanenergy technology.
The Australian government believes that
the seed fund model will help to build
partnerships between the Australian
investment community and tech firms,
helping to overcome a recent general
decline in venture capital investment.
Josh Frydenberg said in a statement:
“Technologies and businesses will be
attracted to the early stage financial
support of the seed fund and create
a pipeline of potential deals for more
substantial later-stage capital investors.”
Clean energy funding
Australian minister for the environment
and energy Josh Frydenberg