PY Media Broadband Demand Aggregate Consultancy Project

Milestones and Activities

Induction and Background of Demand Aggregation Broker
Education and Demonstration of the Benefits of Broadband
Media Campaign
Regional Meetings and Assessment of Demand
Development of a Local Aggregation Demand Strategy
Research, Identify, and Meet with Broadband Service Providers

Travel to the APY Lands to educate community members and service providers and demonstrate the benefits of Broadband to mobilise enthusiasm for the technology in communities

A large part of the Broker’s time during this stage of the Program has been spent travelling across the Lands to visit the Anangu residents and local organisations in the communities. The Broker has spent over five weeks and travelled over five thousand(5000) kilometres on four separate trips to the Pitjantjatjara/Yangkuntjatjara Lands to achieve the outcomes under this heading and those under 4. below.

As a result of this travel all of the larger communities have received between two andfour visits and all the smaller communities and homelands at least one visit in relation tothe Broadband Aggregation Program. The larger communities visited were Iwantja(Indulkana), Mimili, Fregon, Pukatja (Ernabella), Amata, Pipalyatjara, Watarru, Kaynpiand Kalka, and the larger homelands included Nyapari, Rocket Bore, Turkey Bore, Watinuma, Yunyarinyi, Umuwa, and Mulga Bore.

All sessions in the communities involved meeting with the Council Chairperson and other Councillors, as well as discussions and information sessions with interested community members wherever appropriate. In addition the Demand Aggregation Broker held meetings in all places with community office workers including all the Municipal Services Officers (MSOs), who are the equivalent of local government CEOs in rural towns, and in many communities with other relevant staff and potential broadband users.

The level of understanding of the issues surrounding internet broadband is varied across the Lands but is generally very poor. Much of the Broker’s time was spent explaining broadband and educating internet users about the potential for broadband, and on subsequent visits, giving assistance to complete the surveys sent out by the Broker.

During the first week in March the Broker organised for a visit to the region by the SA State Demand Aggregation Broker, Mr. Trevor May, and the State Communications Manager from DeFEEST, Mr. Peter Triantifalou, and accompanied them during their visit to the Lands. The aim of the trip was to orientate the SA government officers to the region and to familiarise them with some of the issues faced by PY Media in the delivery of communication services to their members in general, and in relation to broadband internet access in particular.