http://www.fiercetelecom.com/press-releases/att-accepts-nearly-42...

http://www.fiercetelecom.com/press-...-annual-support-connect-america-fund-expand-a

"AT&T, Inc. has accepted $427,706,650 in annual, ongoing support from the Connect America Fund to expand and support broadband for over 2.2 million of its rural customers.
The Connect America Fund support will enable AT&T to deliver broadband at speeds of at least 10 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps uploads to over 1.1 million homes and businesses in its rural service areas where the cost of broadband deployment might otherwise be prohibitive."

Whether the footprint is 1.1 or 2.2 million premises this is significant.  If anyone was betting that NTC would get the AT&T contract, the odds just got a little bit better.  I still don't think it will happen but if it does, it could equate to a AUD$100-200M contract for NTC.  I am not sure this is what I would call transformational.