In the 2001 National Awards for Innovation in Local Government, Coorong District Council was the rural winner in the Strengthening Rural/Remote Communities category for its Coorong Communication Project.
The Communication Project is recognised as a national pilot project. It incorporates a broadband telecommunications network covering the Coorong towns of Meningie, Tailem Bend, Tintinara, Murray Bridge and links the entire area back to Adelaide.
The network comprises five microwave towers located across the Coorong district and Murray Bridge area. It uses 34mb microwave links running ethernet protocol and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to carry voice and data traffic.
The main objectives were to provide cheaper telephone calls and improve data bandwidth within the Coorong area and back to Adelaide. It is estimated that Council will save $11,000 annually in recurring telecommunications costs for data alone, by using the new network to connect its offices in three towns.
Some farmers and businesses are paying in excess of $2,000 per year in phone bills, which could be reduced by as much as 50 per cent.
Coorong Council Information Services Coordinator, Kym Cleggett, said internal data communications now work 30 times faster at 40 per cent of the previous cost. The new network will also provide residents and businesses in the community with choices that are not usually available to regional communities.
The Communication Project is funded through the Federal Government’s Networking the Nation fund and the South Australian Government. The network itself has been produced in partnership with South Australian based carrier Agile Communications.
For further information contact Kym Cleggett on telephone (08) 8575 1008.
