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

Develop a local demand aggregation strategy based on research, identification and analysis of best practice

One of the activities to develop a local demand aggregation strategy based on empirical data was the development of a survey questionnaire for all the communities and government departments to attempt to identify the level of current connection to the internet and the potential future needs.

Two questionnaires were developed and circulated to the appropriate respondents. The first was a Community Broadband Survey aimed at measuring the number of computer stations and internet connected services in the community administrative area as well as an assessment of projected future internet needs. The Survey was distributed to all the community Council offices in the first week in February. This survey also attempted to ascertain the level of potential Anangu demand for broadband services.

The second questionnaire was a survey form directed at government departments and agencies in an attempt to quantify the current internet status of all departments on the Lands and to get an indication of their future internet and specifically broadband internet demand.

The Community Broadband Survey forms have been completed and collected from the community offices by the Broker. The government survey forms were presented to representatives from the Departments at the Aboriginal Lands Task Force held on 19th March and are due for return by the end of April. The Broker has also arranged for future meetings with officers from some of the key users in the government sector to gain information about departmental internet and broadband infrastructure and systems plans.

The results from the Community Broadband Survey indicate a totally uncoordinated approach to broadband connection across the Lands. Currently any entity who decides they require broadband internet connection simply contact the ISP, in this case Telstra. The ISP then provides a discrete two-way satellite system and a contract package as a monthly broadband plan to each user. The most common package entered into provides broadband access at 256kbps down and 64kbps up, although very few systems when randomly checked in situ were operating at these speeds. The infrastructure costs for the dish and technical support is subsidised by the government through the HiBis Scheme and therefore is of no cost to the consumer, and the monthly basic charge for minimum usage is about $70 per month. While this approach satisfies immediate demand for connection for the ‘anchor’ and wealthier users, the infrastructure is inappropriate for community users, does not account for expansion in demand for the current users, and will be out of the financial reach of any resident as soon as the HiBis Scheme is terminated within two years.

As a result of the lack of coordination between agencies and individuals connecting to broadband, these stand alone systems are being erected throughout each community on the roofs of every new internet user as they request connection. It should be noted that PY Media, via the CCIF application, have presented a coordinated alternative to this piecemeal approach. This proposal has advantages to all users, and in particular the PY Media proposal advocates a system of broadband internet connection that accommodates community members future demand for such services.