AGIMO names first three companies for network panel

The Federal Government has awarded Telstra, Fujitsu and TransACT places on a whole-of-government panel for internet network services.

They were the first to be added to the panel arrangement announced last August.

An Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) spokesman said more companies could be added "in the near future", as negotiations and contractual arrangements were finalised.

Agencies could use it to buy network carriage, virtual connection management, IP carriage and major internet connection services.

They would likely connect their wide-area networks through one of eight internet gateways formed under a separate consolidation program led by AGIMO.

The plan that sought to reduce the 124 gateways to a smaller number led by eight lead agencies, was established as a key measure for AGIMO to pursue following the 2010 federal election.

Defence, a lead agency, signed Verizon Business in April for $52.9 million to provide a new gateway with five times the capacity of the department's previous hardware.

The panellists would hold their positions for an initial three years with the option of two sets of yearly extensions.

AGIMO recently announced participants on a panel supplying fixed and mobile telephony services on which Telstra and Fujitsu also won places.