NBN in Bomen gives local businesses options

Published: 14 Aug 2020 12:30pm

The benefits of reliable internet and connectivity options are being praised by local business operators after high speed broadband was recently switched on in the city’s Bomen Business Park.

The new nbn fibre network in Bomen was activated on Friday 26 June this year and already 58 businesses in Wagga Wagga’s industrial area have accessed fibre to the premise with speeds of up to 1000Mbps download.

The $1.4M Area Switch project was funded as part of a $29.18M Growing Local Economies grant by the NSW Government. It has been implemented through a collaboration between Wagga Wagga City Council and NBN Co in consultation with Bomen area businesses.

The project was also leveraged to allow much quicker and cheaper fibre connection for any future development in the area as part of the Bomen Special Activation Precinct (SAP).

Paul Gianniotis, Managing Director of livestock equipment manufacturer ProWay, said he signed up to the NBN on the first day it became available.

“It’s all about reliability,” Mr Gianniotis said. “We have six satellite offices and we need to transfer large design files in an efficient manner. It had been a very real struggle up until NBN arrived in Bomen.

“The difference it has made to our business efficiency in just the first month has been an incredible turnaround.”

Livestock Marketing Centre Manager Paul Martin said the stronger and more reliable NBN connection allowed the Council operated business to provide a more efficient service for buyers, sellers and agents.

“We need the capacity to utilise high-quality video streaming for projecting our market to a broader audience without it dropping out or freezing,” Mr Martin said.

“It also creates the potential for smarter ways to work. Having internet services that are strong and reliable give us the agility and dynamics to remain current and adaptive in an ever-changing marketplace.

“Moving large amounts of data electronically is something our business has worked towards for an extended period and NBN is an advantage for us to realise this sooner.”

Council and NBN Co committed to the project in July 2018 and work started mid-February this year towards a completion date in August 2020.

Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga, Councillor Greg Conkey OAM, said local businesses now had an important tool to help them compete at a national and international level.

“Reliable and fast broadband is so important to how we do business today. We compete at a local level in national and international markets – to do this effectively there needs to be access to the best internet services available,” Cr Conkey said.

“All businesses in the Bomen area are being encouraged to consider their broadband options now that NBN is available.

“Business operators are praising this initiative … it has been a ‘game changer’ for them in a very short period of time.”

The Bomen Area Switch project provides the infrastructure needed to transform the Wagga Wagga SAP into a world-class business precinct and inland port.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro was in the city recently to announce details about the SAP masterplan which is now on public exhibition and submissions open until .15 September 2020.

Head of nbn local NSW and ACT Tom O’Dea said fast and reliable broadband is a business necessity, particularly in regional areas and now more than ever with COVID-19 changing how people live and work.

“By working together to deliver fast broadband to the Bomen Special Activation Precinct, businesses are now able to generate new economic opportunities through improved productivity and access to national and international markets,” Mr O’Dea said.

“With more than one million business customers now connected to the nbn network including those in Bomen, the nbn Behavioural Change Survey highlights how consumers have increased their online activities during the COVID-19 crisis and have a desire to engage more with businesses online.

“I look forward to watching the Bomen business community continue to grow and thrive following the switch on of the nbn fibre network.”