Under Telstra's proposal, would-be tenderers for the FttN or FttH network would first have to lodge a non-refundable $5 million "expression of interest" just to take part. If they go to a formal tender, they would then have to lodge a $20 million refundable "bid bond" to demonstrate their "seriousness and commitment".

If they don't make a shortlist decided by the Government's expert panel, they would get the $20 million back. If they do make the shortlist, they would then have to put up a further $100 million bond ­ refundable if they don't win the contract.

Telstra reckons the would-be tenderers should also:

 Demonstrate that they have revenues of more than $8 billion a year;

 Have built and operated a large-scale wholesale and retail broadband network in Australia or overseas with capital expenditure of more than A$3 billion in the last five years;

 Be managing a broadband network with more than 500,000 customers; and

 Have secured binding funding commitments of at least $5 billion.

That should narrow the field ­ perhaps just to Telstra.

These proposals are contained in a Telstra submission to the Government on criteria for the broadband network request for proposal (RFP). The submission has been published on Telstra's Now We Are Talking Web site.

In an accompanying statement, Telstra's executive director of regulatory affairs, Tony Warren, says it's time for bidders to put their money where mouth is.

"Our suggestions are for an efficient, objective, competitive RFP process which will fulfil the Government's goal of commencing the National Broadband Network build before the end of the year," he maintains.

"The Government has committed to a high-speed broadband network providing at least 12Mbps to 98 per cent of the population using fibre-to-the-node or fibre-to-the-home technology. The Government is committing $4.7 billion to the process ­ it's up to the tenderers to put up the rest.

"It is unusual for a Government to make such a large financial commitment to an FttN project, and we don't think it should be treated by speculative bidders as a 100 percent mortgage.".

And ­ making it plain who the proposals are aimed at excluding ­ he added:
"We don't want any G9 pretenders stringing out the process, or half-baked proponents like OpEl slipping through with flimsy plans and meaningless 'in-kind' contributions."