Perth International Telecommunications Centre
Encyclopedia
The Perth International Telecommunications Centre is located in the northeastern Perth
suburb of Cullacabardee
, and has handled a large percentage of Australian telecommunications company Telstra
's satellite communications since its opening in November 1986. Most government agencies refer to the site's location as Landsdale
or Landsdale-Gnangara.
The 287 hectares (709.2 acre) site was originally home to a radio station which was used until 1986 by the Overseas Telecommunications Commission
(OTC), one of two entities which later merged and formed the Telstra
telecommunications company. After its establishment, equipment was transported from the OTC Earth Station Carnarvon
and also from South Australia
.
In July 1984, an international meeting agreed on a 14 MHz, 1,380-channel
coaxial analogue undersea cable to be constructed between Jakarta
, Singapore
and Perth
, spanning 4473 kilometres (2,415.2 nmi) and connecting with cable systems in Malaysia, the Philippines, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The OTC was to cover half the cost of the cable. The new cable was to replace the SEACOM 2 cable between Madang
and Cairns
, opened in 1966.
The Perth International Telecommissions Centre (PITC) commenced operations in November 1986 upon the completion of the new AIS cable at a cost of A$
300 million, just months after the SEACOM 2 cable was damaged beyond economic repair by an undersea earthquake off the Papua New Guinea coast. The PITC included the first Pacific and Indian Ocean region Inmarsat
earth station in the southern hemisphere, and the OTC claimed at the time that PITC was the world's only communications complex to have cable, satellite and high frequency radio links operating from the same location. To this day, it handles a large percentage of Telstra
's satellite communications.
A Telstra
joint venture, Xantic BV, was established at the PITC. It has worked to provide ground stations for the European Space Agency
and more recently with Japan's National Space Development Agency
. This attracted some controversy when it emerged in February 2002 that a temporary ground station had assisted Japan's defence agency
to position four information-gathering satellites to monitor North Korea
's developing ballistic missile system.. Xantic BV has since been taken over by Stratos Global (an Inmarsat company).
Recent debate in the community and in State and Federal parliaments has focussed on residential development near the previously isolated site. The PITC had maintained for many years that there should be a 1 km buffer surrounding its land in which no residential development should occur, and from the mid-1990s onwards, several members of parliament for the area tried to resolve this issue on behalf of neighbouring landowners. Some Landsdale residents in the already-developed section had also complained that the PITC facility interfered with their domestic appliances. Rezoning of the neighbouring area, known as East Landsdale
Precinct 64, from rural to urban took place on 2 April 2006.
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
suburb of Cullacabardee
Cullacabardee, Western Australia
Cullacabardee is a northeastern rural suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, located 21 km from Perth's central business district via Alexander Drive or Beechboro Road. It is in the City of Swan local government area. Most of the suburb is covered in native sheoak and banksia forest...
, and has handled a large percentage of Australian telecommunications company Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
's satellite communications since its opening in November 1986. Most government agencies refer to the site's location as Landsdale
Landsdale, Western Australia
Landsdale is a northern suburb of Perth, Western Australia located within the local government area of the City of Wanneroo. It is mixed use, with residential, commercial and light manufacturing areas.-History:...
or Landsdale-Gnangara.
The 287 hectares (709.2 acre) site was originally home to a radio station which was used until 1986 by the Overseas Telecommunications Commission
Overseas Telecommunications Commission
The Overseas Telecommunications Commission was established by an Act of Parliament in August 1946. It inherited facilities and resources from Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited and Cable & Wireless, and was charged with responsibility for all international telecommunications services into,...
(OTC), one of two entities which later merged and formed the Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
telecommunications company. After its establishment, equipment was transported from the OTC Earth Station Carnarvon
Carnarvon, Western Australia
Carnarvon is a coastal town situated approximately 900 kilometres north of Perth, Western Australia. It lies at the mouth of the Gascoyne River on the Indian Ocean. The popular Shark Bay world heritage area lies to the south of the town and the Ningaloo Reef lies to the north...
and also from South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
In July 1984, an international meeting agreed on a 14 MHz, 1,380-channel
Channel (communications)
In telecommunications and computer networking, a communication channel, or channel, refers either to a physical transmission medium such as a wire, or to a logical connection over a multiplexed medium such as a radio channel...
coaxial analogue undersea cable to be constructed between Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, spanning 4473 kilometres (2,415.2 nmi) and connecting with cable systems in Malaysia, the Philippines, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The OTC was to cover half the cost of the cable. The new cable was to replace the SEACOM 2 cable between Madang
Madang
Madang is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. It was first settled by the Germans in the 19th century....
and Cairns
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
, opened in 1966.
The Perth International Telecommissions Centre (PITC) commenced operations in November 1986 upon the completion of the new AIS cable at a cost of A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
300 million, just months after the SEACOM 2 cable was damaged beyond economic repair by an undersea earthquake off the Papua New Guinea coast. The PITC included the first Pacific and Indian Ocean region Inmarsat
International Mobile Satellite Organization
The International Mobile Satellite Organization is the intergovernmental organization that oversees certain public satellite safety and security communication services provided via the Inmarsat satellites...
earth station in the southern hemisphere, and the OTC claimed at the time that PITC was the world's only communications complex to have cable, satellite and high frequency radio links operating from the same location. To this day, it handles a large percentage of Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
's satellite communications.
A Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
joint venture, Xantic BV, was established at the PITC. It has worked to provide ground stations for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
and more recently with Japan's National Space Development Agency
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
. This attracted some controversy when it emerged in February 2002 that a temporary ground station had assisted Japan's defence agency
Japan Defense Agency
The is a cabinet-level ministry of the Japanese government. As a result of a law enacted on December 15, 2006, it became a ministry on January 9, 2007. Prior to that, it was the Japan Defense Agency ...
to position four information-gathering satellites to monitor North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
's developing ballistic missile system.. Xantic BV has since been taken over by Stratos Global (an Inmarsat company).
Recent debate in the community and in State and Federal parliaments has focussed on residential development near the previously isolated site. The PITC had maintained for many years that there should be a 1 km buffer surrounding its land in which no residential development should occur, and from the mid-1990s onwards, several members of parliament for the area tried to resolve this issue on behalf of neighbouring landowners. Some Landsdale residents in the already-developed section had also complained that the PITC facility interfered with their domestic appliances. Rezoning of the neighbouring area, known as East Landsdale
Landsdale, Western Australia
Landsdale is a northern suburb of Perth, Western Australia located within the local government area of the City of Wanneroo. It is mixed use, with residential, commercial and light manufacturing areas.-History:...
Precinct 64, from rural to urban took place on 2 April 2006.