MELBOURNE -- Telstra today announced it had successfully secured new operating licences in Singapore and Japan, allowing it to own infrastructure facilities and be directly responsible for services delivered to customers locally in both countries. The announcement follows the recent award of three licences to provide customers in India with international long-distance telecommunications and ISP services.

In Singapore, Telstra has secured the Facilities Based Operator (FBO) licence offered by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) to own and operate telecommunications infrastructure such as voice and data networks, systems and facilities locally. It will also enable Telstra to build the local backbone required to support its plans for new cable submarine capacity to Singapore.

In Japan, Telstra Japan K.K. has been approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (the “MIC”) for the Registration Type licence. The licence allows Telstra to own and operate large scale telecoms circuits and facilities in multiple cities and prefectures in Japan, along with products and services delivered over those facilities and networks.

Telstra Corp. Ltd. (ASX: TLS; NZK: TLS)