Australian Federal Government, Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

In April 2008 Corrs was appointed the principal legal services provider to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy with respect to the National Broadband Network (NBN) Request for Proposals Process (RFP process). The NBN Project is the most significant communications project ever undertaken in Australia and the largest infrastructure project in Australian history. It will transform Australia’s broadband landscape.

Corrs was involved in the formulation of recommendations to the Government that culminated in the new plan announced by the Prime Minister for a $43 billion Fibre to the Premises NBN Project to be undertaken by a majority Government owned corporation, NBN Co.

Corrs advised and documented a variety of structures for the proposed project and dealt with a wide range of technology procurement related issues. We assisted with questions from proponents during the tender process and after the close of tenders, assisted in evaluation of proposals – particularly complex legal issues and reviewing commercial and contractual terms.

Corrs is the primary adviser to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy on the agreements between Telstra and the Commonwealth regarding the future provision of universal service in a post NBN world and on the design of the new regulatory regime.

Merger of Vodafone and Hutchison “3”

The Australian mobile market’s third and fourth placed players, Vodafone Australia and Hutchison, entered into a joint venture in mid-2009 to form Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA). Under this arrangement, each party has equal ownership in the joint venture entity.

Corrs acted for Vodafone Australia's parent company the UK listed Vodafone Group plc on the $8 billion merger, advising across a range of legal areas including corporate advisory - involving transactional documents, ASX requirements, shareholder resolutions, FIRB submissions and the complex integration of the two businesses - finance, tax, employment and telecommunications.

VHA now markets its products and services under the Vodafone brand. The combined entity has a customer base of approximately 6 million users, combined total revenues of approximately $4 billion and a mobile market share of 27%.

NBN Co Limited: Business and Operational Software Support Systems

The National Broadband Network Project (NBN) is the most significant communications project ever undertaken in Australia and the largest infrastructure project in Australian history. It will transform Australia’s broadband landscape.

NBN Co Limited is the government corporation responsible for rolling out the NBN in Australia. Corrs has been one of the primary legal services providers to NBN Co since its inception.

One of the most critical components to the NBN’s successful roll out Australia wide was an extensive evaluation and negotiation process that saw IBM, Accenture and Alcatel Lucent appointed to supply business and operational software support systems.

Corrs advised NBN Co and was involved in the procurement, negotiation and structuring aspects of this major systems integration project.

The contractual structure of the arrangement was highly complex, and Corrs was able to bring its extensive knowledge of telecommunications networks and the associated technology to negotiate a risk sharing model with which all parties were comfortable.

Vodafone Hutchison Australia: Managed Services, Core, RAN and Transmission

Following the merger of Vodafone Australia and Hutchison, Corrs has advised VHA on the projects it has implemented to consolidate the Hutchison and Vodafone networks and to expand VHA’s networks.

This has included advising on the appointment of Nokia Siemens Networks to manage VHA’s networks and to consolidate and upgrade VHA’s core network, the appointment of Ericsson to construct a new transmission network, and the appointment of Huawei to build a new radio access network.

These contracts will enable VHA to migrate traffic and customers onto a consolidated network, allowing it to offer a consolidated product to all of its customers and to expand the capacity and the footprint of the network.