SingTel may spin Optus lines into Australia NBN venture

Singapore Telecommunications, which has long had a major stake in the Australian telecom market through alternative carrier Optus, reportedly is looking to divest the fixed line assets of Optus into a broadband venture that the Australian government may pursue with the mission of building a national broadband network. Those assets could be worth more than $1 billion, and SingTel could gain up to a 30 percent stake in the new government-driven company.

Optus, as part of a consortium, had been among the bidders hoping to win a piece of the contract to build the national broadband network, but the Australian government has since begun to pursue the idea of forming a national broadband company. It's unclear what role Australian incumbent telco Telstra will have in the new company. Could it do the same as Optus and divest fixed lines into the firm?

For more:
The Wall Street Journal has this story

Related article
Australia's national broadband network plan has been much debated