'100 Gig Bendigo' initiative to close digital divide

The City of Greater Bendigo and Bendigo Telco have partnered to promote the benefits of the city’s 100 gigabit broadband network, which has the capacity to break down the ‘digital divide’ between Bendigo and the rest of the world.

The joint initiative, called ‘100 Gig Bendigo’, aims to make Bendigo a destination for digital businesses and large enterprises, thanks to access to critical high-quality local infrastructure and skills.

Bendigo Telco developed the network over the past 20 years and has recently enabled the 100-gig capacity in a bid to provide its customers with more reliable internet speeds. As well as a network of optic fibre, the Bendigo Data Centre securely stores large amounts of data locally, which supports high-speed and reliable cloud computing.

City Director Strategy and Growth Bernie O’Sullivan noted that gig-speed internet projects are being introduced across the world as the benefits of super-fast internet are realised. O’Sullivan said this offers Bendigo a competitive advantage, and offers businesses the ability to compete on the world stage, from Bendigo.

“It also allows us to attract new businesses to relocate here that require super-fast internet, such as film post-production, advanced manufacturing and many other businesses in the new digital economy,” O’Sullivan said.

Bendigo Telco Executive Director Kevin Dole said Bendigo Telco had installed the infrastructure to better respond to customers’ needs, acknowledging that there has traditionally been a disparity between what regional Australians receive compared to their counterparts in capital cities.

“We’re proud to be helping to conquer the digital divide and to be building our technological skills and capabilities to help support businesses to access digital services and drive digital innovation,” Dole said.

Bendigo Bank Managing Director Marnie Baker said the 100 Gbps internet speeds now available in Bendigo would serve to increase the region’s competitive advantage. Baker described ‘100 Gig Bendigo’ as an exciting development that further opens up the region to digital-first and high-tech companies across a range of industries.

“The ability to access super-fast broadband speeds in Bendigo not only enables us to continue to build on our proven history of innovation and drive our transformation strategy, but also serves to position our city as an attractive location for a whole new range of industries that will further underpin and diversify our local economy,” Baker said.

Be. Bendigo CEO Dennis Bice said the development could support Bendigo to become a truly digital city and allow businesses to overcome various barriers and tap into a global marketplace.

“Super-fast internet can be a game changer for many of our businesses and could help attract many new businesses that would have previously been unable to relocate here due to a need for this type of infrastructure to support them,” Bice said.

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