Despite calls for an extension to the July deadline for proposals to build the national fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) broadband network, Australian Broadband Minister Stephen Conroy is determined to stick to his schedule.

“We’re conscious of all the comments, but determined to begin the roll-out by the beginning of next year,” he said today at NICTA’s Techfest event in Canberra. Despite admitting the time frame is tight for bidders, he maintained: “It’s not something that’s come completely out of the blue.”

To read more of this ZDNet report click here.