AAPT Limited

AAPT
Subsidiary of TPG Telecom
Industry Telecommunications
Founded Australia (1991)
Headquarters Sydney, Australia
Key people
 David Yuile, CEO of AAPT
Products Fixed Telephony
Mobile Telephony
Internet Access
Leased lines
Data Transmission
Number of employees
 750
Parent TPG
Website www.aapt.com.au

AAPT is a large fixed line telecommunications company, which was sold in 2013 by Telecom New Zealand to TPG Telecom for $450 million. The company was a member of the Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group for the Critical Infrastructure Protection branch of the Attorney-General's department.[1]

History

The company was formed by the division of the communications businesses of Australian Associated Press. In 1992 AAPIS was formed with News Corporation and John Fairfax Holdings as majority shareholders with MCI and Todd Capital also possessing shares in the company. According to AAPT's website the company began operating as the first significant competitor to Telstra in the long distance voice and data markets in 1991. The company received a carrier licence on 1 July 1997 and was later listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November of the same year. In January 1999 Todd Capital sold its entire stake in the company.[2]

In 2000 the company was acquired by Telecom New Zealand in stages and delisted from the stock exchange .[3] Today AAPT claims to be one of only three Australian telecommunications providers to own and operate its own national voice and data network. AAPT has positioned itself a Virtual Network Operator in the mobile market utilising the Vodafone Australia network. In 2006 CommodiTel, acquired AAPT's prepaid customer base.

AAPT's performance in Australia has been considered disappointing, requiring significant investment from its parent company, not providing any returns and has been written down in value by $NZ1.7 billion. In 2006 Telecom considered selling the business but was unable to find a buyer for the company.[3] In 2010, however, AAPT sold its under performing consumer business to iiNet for over $60 million resulting in a massive cash injection to its parent company, Telecom New Zealand, who had posted a $250 NZ profit decline in the same quarter. AAPT focus on the Australian Business and Wholesale market has resulted in a return to its core strengths.

With significant take up of DSL services in Australia and the relatively slow DSL services available for resale from Telstra, AAPT sought access to competing DSL services operated by companies investing in local loop unbundling. In November 2006 AAPT signed a wholesale network agreement with Powertel to allow access to Powertel's wholesale network and installed ADSL2+ broadband network.[3]

Powertel subsequently became a takeover target and Telecom responded by making a counter offer of A$357 million (NZ$400 million) for the company. This offer was accepted and concluded in May 2007 with former Powertel boss, Paul Broad appointed CEO, with the AAPT name replacing the Powertel name across the business unit.[3]

In June 2011, David Yuile was appointed CEO of AAPT. David's previous role was chief operating officer at AAPT, where he successfully completed the integration of the AAPT-PowerTel businesses and was instrumental in the product and backoffice re-engineering and simplification. After 2 years and 9 months, David resigned from AAPT in February 2014 and left the company.[4]

In 2018 AAPT remains operating as TPG's wholesale arm supplying broadband services and backhaul to small, medium, large and international ISPs. AAPT owns significant fibre and internet infrastructure around Australia which is being used by TPG to expand and improve its offerings.

Acquisition of consumer division by iiNet

AAPT's consumer business was acquired by Australian ISP iiNet for $60 Million[5] from Telecom New Zealand in July 2010.

Sale to TPG

On 9 December 2013, Telecom New Zealand announced that it had sold the remaining corporate, wholesale and networks which comprised AAPT to TPG Telecom for $450 million.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Trusted Information Sharing Network, Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group (IAAG) Members, tisn.gov.au. Retrieved on 28 June 2007.
  2. ↑ "Key Investments". Todd Capital. n.d. Archived from the original on 20 June 2007. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Perry, Kate (27 July 2007). "Dialling for dollars at AAPT". The Dominion Post. Archived from the original on 11 July 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2007.
  4. ↑ "AAPT chief Yuile resigns as sale nears end". Financial Review. 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2017-11-09.
  5. ↑ http://www.itnews.com.au/News/221451,iinet-pays-60m-for-aapt-consumer-business.aspx
  6. ↑ "Telecom announces sale of AAPT for A$450 million". New Zealand Exchange. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
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