A long-term works program to improve digital infrastructure and connectivity across the City of Logan, Queensland, will boost the local economy for years to come with a commitment of $2.5 million from the Queensland Government.
Deputy Mayor Jon Raven, said next-generation digital infrastructure was needed to support a transformation of the city’s economy over the next 10 years.
“We now understand the challenges being faced by our residents and businesses in the digital space after completing the business case.
“This investigation assessed what our infrastructure is like suburb-by-suburb so that we could identify where investment is needed most.
“We believe we are among the first local governments in Australia to address these issues through a state government-endorsed business case.
“Connectivity is a mix of accessibility, speed, reliability and affordability. The gaps in the City of Logan are impacting everyday life.”
The works program will include new mobile towers to improve coverage, upgrading satellite services to enhance the NBN network, and installing 80km of fibre cabling throughout the city to replace the prevalent use of copper.
Building an edge data centre within the city to boost connection speeds for City of Logan residents and businesses is a longer-term project in the strategy.
“Logan can’t be a modern city unless we have a modern digital network,” Cr Raven said.
“Our city is already recognised as the region’s logistics hub, but we want to become a powerhouse in health and advanced manufacturing to support our rapidly-growing population.”
Council will seek further investment from the Australian Government and the private sector to deliver the new infrastructure.
“People expect councils to think about more than roads, rates and rubbish.
“Digital infrastructure is an essential service that needs to be properly planned and funded for us to become a thriving 21st Century city.”
