By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
GEELONG has the resources to set up its own internet service provider while awaiting the arrival of the National Broadband Network, local IT experts say.
They believe that the city should drive its own digital destiny because the NBN could still be years away.
ICT Geelong, Deakin University’s IT department, NBNOptions.org‘s Todd Hubers and BITC founder Geoff Crowl have combined to rally Geelong businesses for improved broadband connectivity.
Mr Hubers said Geelong was in broadband limbo while it awaited the NBN but telcos were failing to upgrade infrastructure in the meantime.
“Many in business circles have been talking about their own need for some time. Now is the time to be heard,” Mr Hubers said.
“With our combined voices we’ll have the market power to organise a great solution for the region.”
Mr Hubers said unused broadband resources in the city could help local businesses improve productivity.
“There are unused fibre assets in the ground already and it’s possible to leverage and extend the exiting wi-fi network,” he said.
“There are lots of other technologies on the horizon and there’s no reason why such a solution couldn’t be implemented as a municipal ISP.”
Mr Hubers said the first step was to assess the level of demand, particularly from businesses in central Geelong.
“We hear businesses saying privately that they have connection speed problems, particularly upload speed.
“I certainly need improved speeds for my own business, Start-up Cloud, but unless you rally those voices together and join together nothing will get done.”
An online survey asking businesses to define their broadband and internet requirements is available at tinyurl.com/ofcqy3w or contact Mr Hubers on 1800 784 799.
A discussion forum on the challenges and problems due to a lack of NBN-level services will be at Deakin’s waterfront campus on 8 September.
