Credit: Dreamstime
Spirit Telecom has been awarded a $1.7 million contract to deliver high-speed broadband to the Victorian city of Horsham as an alternative to the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The publicly-listed provider will build and maintain the network, which will count on five towers, as part of the local Government's Connecting Regional Communities Program.
The project is expected to be delivered by the end of 2019, with services available in limited areas in mid-2019.
"Spirit’s sky-speed internet is a genuine NBN alternative and will deliver the region with Fixed Wireless, super-fast internet with speeds up to 1,000Mbps, which are 10 times faster than the NBN’s 100Mbps plan," Spirit said in a statement.
The fixed-wireless service will cover all of Horsham including the CBD, its enterprise park, Aerodrome and freight terminal.
The new network is expected to be capable of also providing high-speed broadband to businesses and households outside of central Horsham, in locations such as Longerenong, Dooen and Haven.
According to the Victorian Government, Spirit Telecom will offer the service to businesses at prices significantly lower than currently available for business-grade broadband services across the state.
“We believe our offering is market leading and will put to bed the mindset that 5G technology is purely a mobile play," Spirit managing director Geoff Neate said.
Spirit Telecom will use the beamforming technology, an antenna that transmits the signal in an approximately circular pattern and usually used by radio broadcasters or low-end Wi-Fi routers.
The technology, according to Spirit Telecom, is the only that has been ratified as part of 5G.
"It [the project] also fulfils the demands of businesses and consumers for a fast, reliable broadband service that actually delivers on what it promises," Neate added. "This is what we hang our hat on and are looking forward to strengthening the Horsham community’s access to super-fast internet."
Minister for regional development Jaala Pulford said that businesses in Horsham will have the connectivity they deserve.
“This project will be a game changer for local businesses," he added. "Symmetrical gigabit broadband will make them more efficient and change the way they do business and the products they offer locally and globally."
