Southeast Queensland’s Sunshine Coast Regional Council has partnered with a range of stakeholders and other spheres of government to deliver high speed, competitively priced broadband services to the region.
After identifying an unmet demand for broadband services and a lack of competition across the region, Council realised that a partnership approach was the only feasible solution.
Under the Federal Government’s Clever Networks program, funding is provided to enable the rollout of broadband infrastructure and services to regional, rural and remote areas of Australia.
Council used the funding it received for both the former Maroochy and Noosa Councils to develop the Connecting the Coast project, in conjunction with the University of the Sunshine Coast and IT companies Allegro Networks and Mach Technology.
In kind contributions were also received from Matthew Flinders Anglican College and Reed Property Group.
Council’s Manager Economic Programs Michael Whereat said that prior to Connecting the Coast, the area had a general lack of broadband infrastructure, substantial mobile phone and ICT black spots, a lack of competitively priced services and a sense of uncertainty surrounding the current and future role of Council in providing high speed broadband infrastructure. In addition, local businesses consistently indentified the existing broadband infrastructure and cost as limiting their capacity for growth.
Construction of the network began in July 2008 and now comprises two new fibre optic trunks, wireless capabilities and a data centre with the overall capacity to reach over half of the Sunshine Coast population and potentially 38,500 businesses in the local area.
The Data Centre is an ecologically sound hosting environment, delivering a fully resilient and scalable platform for business operators, with all equipment configured to achieve maximum uptime. This ensures businesses benefit from reliable and secure access that not only saves them money but also reduces their carbon footprint.
“Among its many benefits, Connecting the Coast will grow the knowledge economy and enable small and home based businesses to operate more like big business, while driving community competition and next generation services,” Michael Whereat said.
“In addition, the University of the Sunshine Coast has dedicated fibre connection to the Australian Academic Research Network, enabling it to become part of the international university research community in a way that has not been possible in the past.
“Secondary schools in the region are now also able to access this network.
“Connecting the Coast offers tailored solutions to regional problems, delivering world class, high speed broadband at metropolitan prices. To date, the project has cost more than $11 million, but could potentially see as much as $311.7 million injected into the Sunshine Coast economy over the next 15 years.”
Michael Whereat said Council and its partners had to build the network from scratch, because it could not access optical fibre previously laid down by telecommunications companies.
“After having to dig up roads to put in the cables, Council is urging engineers to lay down telecommunications ducts whenever they build a new road or repair an existing one,” he said. “We are also starting to require developers to incorporate optic fibre in all greenfield developments.”
Council’s Economic Development and Entrepreneurship portfolio holder, Councillor Lew Brennan, said the Sunshine Coast is well in advance of the requirement for all Local Governments to have the optic fibre capability embedded in their master plans by July 2010.
“Sunshine Coast Council has already included the requirement in its Sippy Downs Master Plan, as well as in the draft Palmview, Maroochydore and Caloundra South structure plans,” he said. “As a result, the next 100,000 people that move to the Sunshine Coast will benefit from world class, high speed fibre to the premises from day one.”
The provision of next generation services has already seen growth in the Sunshine Coast knowledge economy.
Businesses are not only benefiting from a wider choice of connectivity but a world class access option that is fast, secure and eco friendly.
Council will continue to implement planning scheme changes and build pit and pipe infrastructure in all new roads, greenfield and brownfield locations.
For further information visit the Connecting the Coast website at www.connectingthecoast.com.au or email Michael Whereat on Michael.Whereat@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au
