What is digital connectivity?
Digital connectivity is a regional investment portfolio priority critical for social and economic development to support regional growth.
Since 2012, the state government has committed $193 million to complement Australian Government and industry investments to deliver telecommunications infrastructure in regional and remote WA.
Video case study: The Dandaragan Fixed Wireless Network
As part of the WA Government’s Digital Farm Grants Program, the Dandaragan Fixed Wireless Network is improving digital connectivity for regional agribusinesses and communities. This means better access to high-speed broadband and mobile calls over fixed Wi-Fi for communities covering Badgingarra, Dandaragan, Jurien Bay and Nambung.
Current projects
The Regional Telecommunications Project (RTP) is an $85 million program that aims to expand mobile broadband to increase WA’s mobile coverage area.
It is supplying both wide area coverage through mobile base towers and highly targeted, local area coverage through small cell installations, and upgrades to existing telecommunications infrastructure in WA.
The RTP is delivering the new and improved infrastructure solutions in partnership with industry and the Australian Government’s Mobile Black Spot Program (MBSP), Regional Connectivity Program (RCP) and the Mobile Network Hardening Program (MNHP).
In addition, the WA Government is investing in solutions across the State ranging from new and improved mobile voice and data coverage, fixed wireless and fibre broadband services, and improved microwave and fibre backhaul capacity to regional and remote locations. It is funding community scale Wi-Fi sites, network resilience sites, and also Cel-Fi repeaters under the WA Government’s Surf Beaches Mobile Coverage Grants Program Round 1.
The State Agriculture Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (SATIF) is a $19 million program that provides funding for last-mile solutions for agribusinesses in agricultural and pastoral regions that lie outside of the current or planned nbn fixed wireless and fixed line footprint.
The aim is to improve business and agricultural productivity by providing enterprise-grade digital connectivity to regional WA. It is currently expanding mobile coverage and providing fast, reliable, affordable and scalable broadband necessary to support digital farming practices.
The SATIF program has funded the WA Government’s Digital Farm Grants Program, Rounds 1, 2 and 3, and partnered with the Australian Government’s Regional Connectivity Program. It is currently funding Round 2 of the WA Government’s Surf Beaches Mobile Coverage Grants Program.
The WA Regional Digital Connectivity Program (WARDCP) is a $48.6 million program for co-investment in regional digital connectivity infrastructure.
WARDCP targets co-investment from the Australian Government and industry to further extend mobile coverage and expand high grade, flexible broadband services to businesses and communities in regional and remote locations in WA.
It is focussed on solutions to bridge the digital divide in regions, including new mobile base stations and fixed wireless infrastructure, upgrading the capacity and performance of existing telecommunication assets, trialling new technologies and improving connectivity for disadvantaged communities through community Wi-Fi projects.
The WARDCP is funding these projects in partnership with industry, and the Australian Government’s Regional Connectivity Program, Mobile Black Spot Program and the Regional Roads Australia Mobile Program (RRAMP).
Past projects
The Regional Mobile Communications Project (RMCP) was a WA Government initiative that aimed to connect Western Australia’s regional and remote communities with equitable access to telecommunications and internet.
The $40 million program commenced in 2012 and was completed in 2014. It funded 113 new mobile base stations and saw a widespread increase in regional coverage by more than 9,000 sqkm.