Funding helps ‘bridge the digital divide’

The state has provided $1.5 million in matching funding for commercial service providers to extend broadband access to areas outside the current or planned National Broadband Network fixed wireless and fixed line footprint.

Bunbury business CipherTel is one of the recipients from the program and will build fixed wireless towers across the South West, including in hills near Collie, Myalup, Boddington, Williams, Darkan, Capel and Busselton.

CipherTell chief executive officer Matthew Frontino said the project was expected to take about 12 to 18 months to complete.

He made a conservative estimate of the new services helping 100 farmers in the region, but said it could be as high as 400.

“The towers will alleviate congestion, gives them their data and speed that they subscribe to on their plan,” he said.

It will also have general benefits to the economy with more research and development opportunities, jobs and social benefits according to Mr Frontino.

Mr Frontino said the state government’s funding model was different to that of the NBN because there was 50 per cent private buy in which has allowed more to be done with less government money.

He said the current situation was most farmers only had access to the NBN satellites which are getting overloaded and slowed everything down.

“It’s about 25 times slower than the fixed wireless towers,” he said.

Some consultation has already been done on the location of the towers, but Mr Frontino said they are encouraging more farmers to get involved as they can host a tower on their land and gain the most benefit.

Agriculture and food minister Alannah Mactiernan said a fast, reliable broadband service was essential to modern farm businesses to operate in an increasingly sophisticated and competitive environment.

“This Digital Farm Grants program is helping to provide a fundamental service to regional Western Australians, which will help to drive the adoption of agtech and build business capacity, growth and employment opportunities throughout the state,” she said.

“The program has to date successfully attracted commercial investment to extend broadband services to areas caught in the ‘digital divide’, to more than 1,200 businesses and regional residents across more than 40,000 square kilometres.

“The new services will be rolled out as infrastructure is installed, enabling more regional businesses and residents to enjoy the benefits of a fast, reliable, affordable and scalable broadband service.”