Advertising giants and telecommunications providers will need to re-submit expressions of interest to Sydney council for Australia’s biggest ad contract, after a shake-up in the advertising industry.

On 10 July, the council is going to ask for renewed submissions for its street furniture contract, said to be worth about $500 million, which aims to overhaul the city’s outdoor assets from digital signs and advertisements to free public WiFi.

JCDecaux and Telstra have worked together on updating payphones, fuelling speculation they are hoping to get the City of Sydney contract together. Credit:JCDecaux

This second round of expressions of interest comes weeks after global advertising giant JCDecaux made a successful $1.12 billion bid to acquire APN Outdoor Group, while rival outdoor advertising company OohMedia bought Here There & Everywhere’s street furniture arm Adshel for $570 million.

There is speculation Telstra and JCDecaux made an expression of interest together in the first round, while APN and OohMedia confirmed they had made submissions.