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HIGH SPEED: Middleback Arts Centre Manager Ryan Sutherland and City of Whyalla Acting CEO Kristen Clark with the first Gig City set-up in Whyalla.
Friday, January 17, 2020
Whyalla is well on its way to becoming a modern, high performing city with the installation of the first Gig City Network tower this week.
Adelaide company MIMP Connecting Solutions was at the Middleback Arts Centre (MAC) on Wednesday to install fibre-optic cable for the first of 15 towers that are going to provide ultra-fast and affordable gigabit Internet to businesses in Whyalla.
Gig City will provide broadband speeds of up to 1000 megabits (1 gigabit) per second which compares with the maximum available NBN speed of 100 megabits per second and blows away the current internet speeds in Whyalla which can be as low as 10 megabits per second.
Gig City has come about after much work between Council, the State Government and MIMP. The network is a $1m State Government-funded project which will also be implemented in Mount Gambier.
MIMP Special Projects Manager Stephen Fitzgerald said his company was excited to kick off the Gig City Network in Whyalla with the support of Council, the State Government and the Whyalla business community.
“Whyalla has really embraced this program and have proven the perfect region to kick it off,” Stephen said.
“All of our dealings with Council and the State Government have been extremely positive and, with the enthusiasm shown by local businesses for this high-speed internet, it has made Whyalla the ideal location to start this program.
“We have more than 80 businesses in Whyalla which have shown an expression of interest and we’d like to see more companies take advantage of this service.”
One of those businesses is the MAC where the first tower will service Whyalla’s entertainment complex and the immediate area on Nicolson Avenue. MAC Manager Ryan Sutherland said the Gig City connection would allow the centre to offer diversified programming, live stream content on the big screen and hold gaming competitions.
"Concerts or sporting events that are happening around the world could be live streamed here, which is great," she said.
"We're hoping to arrange some gaming competitions with the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre in Mount Gambier so that is also super exciting.
"It will open a big market in conferences as we would have the capacity to stream speakers from around the world and allow for live interaction between them and the audience.”
WIRING UP: Telecoms Infrastructure Field Technician, Bryan Gee helps install the Gig City Network tower at the MAC.
South Australia’s Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said Gig City Network would create new opportunities and experiences for regional communities like Whyalla.
“It’s great to see regional creative hubs like Middleback Arts Centre embracing the Government’s Gig City extension,” Minister Pisoni said.
“Through the State Government’s strategic action plan for future industries, entrepreneurship and Gig City, we are ensuring that local businesses and entrepreneurs have the opportunity to connect their ideas to accelerate business growth, inspiring a new wave of South Australian creativity, collaboration and connectivity.”
City of Whyalla Acting CEO Kristen Clark agreed with the Minister and declared the network was a perfect fit for Council as it aims to transform Whyalla into a modern, high performing city.
“This is an amazing opportunity for Whyalla businesses to come along for the ride as we transform our city,” Kristen said.
“This opens the world up to Whyalla as businesses enjoy significantly higher upload and download speeds compared to the national average.”
With the network expected to go live in the end of February, a majority of businesses in Whyalla will be able to connect to the service for a minimum cost of $49.90 per month. MIMP is also looking to introduce faster internet service for residential premises once the business network is established.
To register go to www.gigair.com.au/gigcity or contact MIMP Connecting Solutions Sales Manager Ben Lindop on 0478 082 033 or ben@gigair.com.au