South Western Wireless successfully tenders for new regional telecommunications network

Businesses and residents in the Shires of Koorda, Mt Marshall, Mukinbudin, Nungarin, Trayning and Wyalkatchem will be envy of regional communities as they will receive higher speed internet services as a result of a successful partnership with South Western Wireless WA.

The six Shires are part of the North Eastern Wheatbelt Regional Organisation of Councils (NEWROC) and were successful in securing a $700,000 Federal grant to reduce the cost of internet services, improve reliability and vastly increase upload and download speeds so that residents and businesses could have “super fast internet”.

South Western Wireless WA recently won a competitive tender to provide a tailored solution to the Shires.

Proven world-wide to alleviate frustrating slow or non-existent internet and mobile services, the state-of-the-art fixed wireless infrastructure provided by South Western Wireless WA has already successfully delivered faster internet services to the Peel region in Western Australia, and in NSW and Queensland.

NBN and satellite internet services have been intermittent and unreliable, causing major headaches to people and businesses in regional WA.

Managing Director of South Western Wireless WA, Mr Jeremy Devenish said “We are providing businesses and resident’s internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps. More importantly we cap the number of people accessing the service so download speeds are not compromised,” he said.

“We know some business people are forced to drive to the closest town with a reasonable signal to just do their online BAS. Some businesses can’t even consistently pay their bills or operate eftpos machines in their shop. How businesses have been able to currently function in regional WA amazes me”.

According to South Western Wireless WA, the technology delivers point-to-point broadband data communication based on a fixed wireless technology.

“Our chosen telecommunications solution will add value to the existing NBN service that some residents and businesses receive in the district but more importantly will provide an improved service to those who can’t access the NBN or whose service is currently too slow for their needs, and at a cheaper price” said Cr Eileen O’Connell, Chair of the NEWROC
South Western Wireless WA is based in Narrogin and has a dedicated and passionate team working hard behind the scenes. The background skills of the team include system design and implementation, business development, farming and small business. They have intimate knowledge of the challenges faced operating a small business without fast internet.

Maree Gooch, is the Chair of the group and said “In this modern age of communications, science and technology, it is appalling that regional WA still struggles to have fast and reliable internet connection. We felt that something had to change, so we are doing something about it,”

Ms Gooch added. “We are excited about the difference faster internet will have on so many levels – saving costs on internet packages plus greater ease of doing business, selling grain, accessing online health, education and mental health support and even having an on-farm intranet is more than just a possibility with South Western Wireless WA’s fixed wireless system.”

The internet packages on offer will also assist many emergency service providers, and government departments operating in the district as well as help attract and retain larger industry.

“The vision of the NEWROC is to improve the economic prosperity of each member Shire and we felt very strongly that by providing super-fast internet to our communities it would help them grow their businesses, compete equitably on the national and global stage, capture tourism opportunities and help attract more families to our communities”. Said Cr O’Connell

Each local government in the NEWROC has committed $18,000 towards the solution, with the NEWROC organisation committing over $100,000, Bendigo Bank $2,000 and the Federal Building Better Regions fund committing just over $700,000.
The scheme is an opt-in one, meaning people can choose to stay with their current SkyMuster retail service provider or Telstra service but in the planning conducted by the NEWROC, they expect a large number of residents and businesses who are not happy with their current service, or lack of it to signup.