James F. Evans Collection, The choice by Telecom Australia of the Digital Radio Concentrator System (DRCS) as the mainstay for providing services to outback Australia has raised wide interest. This paper provides some background to this decision by way of discussing the DRCS and the main alternative, a satellite system. The characteristics of these two alternatives are discussed and a comparison is made on the basis of cost. This comparison, based on the latest industry figures, reveals that the DCRS is till the most cost-effective means of providing services in outback Australia by 1990. (author)
