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Farmers Net a Wider Range of Internet Services
4 May 2004
Farmers and rural communities will have more options for access to higher bandwidth internet services after two significant announcements today. “It’s pleasing to see the positive impact the Government’s $100 million plus Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme (HiBIS) is having on potential providers of affordable quality internet services to the bush,” National Farmers’ Federation President, Mr Peter Corish said.
Mr Corish said Telstra’s announcements today that ADSL installation thresholds will be dramatically reduced for rural exchanges and the release of new pricing for rural wireless data services would provide the opportunity for more farmers and rural communities to access more affordable, quality internet services.
“NFF’s continued push for telecommunications ‘outcomes in the paddock’ is delivering results for rural and regional Australia,” Mr Corish said. “Equitable, affordable and quality telecommunications services continue to be a key priority for NFF.”
Reducing the number of users necessary before a rural exchange will be upgraded to ADSL as a result of HiBIS is a start to providing at least 256/64 kilo bit per second Internet services, on a competitive metropolitan priced basis, to a far greater number of farmers and rural communities.
“NFF has previously highlighted the need for sustainable high bandwidth wireless technologies to be made available in rural Australia,” Mr Corish said. Today’s release by Telstra of new pricing for wireless data service providing speeds up to 153.6 kilo bits per second, further supplements their recent announcement that wireless data will be available to all CDMA coverage areas in rural Australia by December 2004.
“It’s good to see that 75% of the wireless data rollout is already complete, which is great progress to achieving the goal of 20% landmass coverage and provides yet another option for farmers to access quality online services,” Mr Corish said. “NFF looks forward to even higher bandwidth wireless services being used to satisfy the current and future voice, and online requirements of farmers and rural communities. Service providers should take advantage of the incentives offered by HiBIS to deploy new higher bandwidth wireless technologies or supplement existing implementations to provide a range of even lower-cost, more efficient, bundled services.”
National Farmers' Federation Media Release, 4th May 2004
by Mairi Barton, General Manager Public Relations, NFF
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