We operate our own national voice and data network, providing Australians with great deals for phone, internet and mobile services - at home and at work. We offer a range of local and long distance voice, mobile, data and internet solutions for residential, business, government and wholesale customers.
In the late 1980s, the national news and communications group AAP sought to distribute its content to a wider audience. Frustrated by the lack of services available, AAP joined with the Australian Telecommunications Users’ Group in seeking fundamental telecommunications reform.
In 1991, AAP decided to form its own telecommunications company, AAPT. We commenced operations as a telecommunications service provider offering long distance national and international voice and data communications services to the business market in Australia, becoming Telstra’s first competitor and a key pioneer of competition in the industry.
AAPT was awarded a carrier licence on July 1, 1997 upon removal of the legislative restriction on the maximum number of licences in the Australian telecommunications industry. In November of the same year, AAPT completed a public offering and was the first telecommunications carrier to list on the Australian Securities Exchange.
In 1999, Telecom New Zealand made a successful bid to cement its future as an Australasian company, by buying 78% of AAPT. Telecom raised its AAPT shareholding to 100 percent in December 2000 and was subsequently delisted. Today Telecom is New Zealand's largest listed company and one of the top 20 largest listed companies on the Australian Securities Exchange.
In November 2006, AAPT finalised a comprehensive network access services agreement with Australian network operator PowerTel, allowing AAPT to offer its customers a wide range of high-speed broadband and access services.
In May 2007, Telecom NZ announced its 100 per cent acquisition of PowerTel, bringing together Australia’s second largest telecommunications network infrastructure provider with number three telecommunications player, AAPT.
Today, AAPT has a four per cent share of Australia’s $32 billion telecommunications market. We’re one of only three Australian telecommunications providers to own and operate its own national voice and data network. Our Australian operations bring together approximately 1500 people across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.
Our national backbone network represents a high capacity national transmission network from Cairns to Perth, incorporating all major cities and key regional centres. In metropolitan areas, approximately 85%of our business customers and 81% of our residential customer base is covered within our own network footprint.
Via our exclusive access to ISP iiNet’s network, our 330-strong DSLAM footprint is on par with Optus’ reach, second only to Telstra, and represents a significant offering of business and consumer ADSL2+ in metropolitan areas.
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