A new company has announced plans to build a $1.5 billion, 20,000km fibre-optic “backbone” for Australia.

A new startup from tech investor Bevan Slattery says it wants to build a private Australia-wide fibre system, including connection points for new subsea cables.

The startup, HyperOne, says the network will support industries such as cloud computing, data centres, environmental sciences, space vehicle launch, aerospace, satellite, defence as well as provide transmission to local distribution networks such as the National Broadband Network and mobile operators.

Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher has welcomed the announcement.

“HyperOne’s planned network would deliver a major boost in data transmission capacity into many cities and towns across Australia, which in turn would open up new economic opportunities, support new industries and generate jobs,” Mr Fletcher said.

South Australian Premier, Steven Marshall, welcomed the potential addition to the national fibre network.

“HyperOne means jobs for South Australians,” Premier Marshall said.

“Not only do we already have a huge contingent of high-tech companies working out of Lot Fourteen – we expect to see even more companies base their headquarters here to take advantage of Adelaide’s unique position in this new network.

HyperOne is being billed as as “hyperscaled” network, allegedly capable of carrying over 10,000 terabits per second.

“The current networks have served Australia well for the past 20 years but they are nearing the end of their useful life and they were designed for a different time,” Mr Slattery said.

“All the existing national transmission networks were built back when there was no Youtube, Netflix, social media, iPhones, or even cloud, let alone the future industries.

“They also didn’t address the digital divide in remote and regional Australia.

“That’s why we are adding more than 1,000 ‘on-ramps’ in regional and remote Australia enabling underserved communities and remote areas a cost effective way to access HyperOne,” he said.

Northern Territory Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, welcomed the plans too.

“HyperOne will help cement the Territory’s position as Australia’s comeback capital, making Darwin the key point of digital interconnect between South East Asia, the fastest growing digital market on earth and Australia’s east coast,” Mr Gunner said.

“Infrastructure investment at this scale will supercharge Darwin’s appeal as a base for both digital start-ups and multinational companies.In addition, it will help reduce the digital divide between our cities, regional centres and remote communities, better enabling access to online learning and telehealth.”

The HyperOne project office has already begun discussions with the National Broadband Network, the Northern Australian Infrastructure Fund, telecommunication companies, various market participants as well as the Federal Government and state governments.

Interested parties can find more information here.