More than $30 million will be spent in the next three years building Australia's first independent third-generation wireless telecommunications network in Adelaide.
Dubbed m.Net, the project is a collaboration between private industry, government and research organisations to develop and market commercial next-generation technologies.
Central to m.Net is a sophisticated wireless network in the North Terrace precinct of Adelaide, capable of delivering broadband Internet services to mobile phone users.
The network will also support the development of new applications and will be used for the first time at the World Congress on IT 2002.
Whyalla, in South Australia's mid-North, is also being included in the network to facilitate the development and testing of new health and education services for regional communities.
Andrew Ekiert, m.Net chief executive, said new technologies will be developed for key industries such as tourism, health, multimedia, transport and education.
"We are in a position to pioneer new wireless Internet-based technologies, applications and services in areas we've yet to fully comprehend," he said.
The Federal Government provided $9.23 million towards the project under its Advanced Networks Program.