In Australia, the internet is seen as a base ‘utility’ next to water, gas and electricity. It’s a pivotal piece of infrastructure and without it many businesses simply wouldn't exist.
Almost everything and everyone is now, in some way, ‘digitally connected'.
There’s been a rapid increase in the adoption of digitally connected devices. From smartphones, tablets, HDTVs, to connected appliances, connected cars and connected homes.
And as the line between home, business and education becomes increasingly blurred, we need our home environments to have internet that can support the systemic shift to home-based working – while simultaneously enabling e-learning, gaming and streaming across a range of connected devices, for everyone in the household.
In our business lives, we are seeing increased adoption of cloud-based software as a service (SaaS), daily use of video conferencing and the creation and sharing of ever-larger amounts of content, as we seek to connect and collaborate, from any location, at any time of the night or day.
From communication to entertainment and education, this content is being created in richer, higher-bandwidth formats across multiple platforms. It’s estimated that approximately 80% of all content shared online is now via video, up from less than 40% only 4 years ago.
For businesses, the effective collection, use and management of business and consumer data is not only a legal requirement but can also provide a competitive advantage, enabling more efficient customer acquisition and retention, ultimately driving business value. In fact, many business models rely on real-time processing of large amounts of data - think share trading or media buying.
Ultra-fast internet can provide the catalyst for new ideas to quickly be found and shared, the development of impactful innovation, more accessible learning, increased personal connection and ultimately economic growth and a better quality of life.
This exponential growth in our digital connectivity and dependency necessitates access to really fast, affordable and more reliable internet.
The broader impact of an unequal digital playing field
In many ways digital inclusion is really about social inclusion. It’s about the use of technology to move society forward.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals lists it as a “necessary condition for social, economic and environmental transformation”.
The Measuring Australia's Digital Divide 2020 report noted in the past year,
Australia’s overall digital inclusion score increased by only 1.1 points, from 61.9 to 63.0. The rate of increase has fallen in the past two years.
The report's authors said,
"Across the nation, digital inclusion follows some clear economic and social contours. In general, Australians with lower levels of income, employment, and education are significantly less digitally included. There is consequently a substantial digital divide between richer and poorer Australians."
While the conversation around any digital divide has typically been focused on internet access, there are many reasons this needs to move to thinking about not just being able to access the internet but being able to access ultra-fast internet.
In fact, the Australian Infrastructure Report 2019 states “Australia’s comparative performance for fixed broadband speeds is poor, and we lag well behind comparable nations. Failure to rapidly improve speeds could be a constraint on boosting productivity and liveability, and attracting businesses that require high levels of digital access.”
Within the business environment, there has been a traditional divide between enterprise size customers who can invest in large scale digital infrastructure, including higher speed connectivity, and small businesses who want to grow their business but have more limited resources.
Increasingly these small businesses are only able to access the same internet products and/or customer support as residential customers, and yet have an absolute dependency on these service for their business to simply function let alone grow.
The current pandemic has reinforced the necessity for internet that can enable and support business, particularly for the growing number of SMEs involved in ecommerce businesses.
In fact, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australians spent a staggering $11.5-$12.5 billion more on online retail in 2020 than they did in 2019.
The benefits of faster internet for people, businesses and communities
Accessing consistently fast, reliable, internet, is still an issue for many Australian’s.
For some, it’s about receiving the internet speeds they have paid for regardless of the time of day or number of people accessing the network, and for others it’s the inability to access really fast speeds because of their business or apartment location, or even the suburb they live in.
So why is it so important to find new solutions to deliver the network infrastructure we need to address this issue? What exactly can ultra-fast internet do for you in your home or office?
Provide an easier experience
There is very little patience for internet lagging, drop-outs, poor quality and congestion which make it harder and slower to do the things we want to do online. A superfast internet connection can create an easier, streamlined experience. It can remove the frustrations and time lost when your video breaks up, or drops out when you’re trying to connect with colleagues or friends online.
It can enable faster sharing of information, quicker uploading of photos or videos, and a better streaming experience when you’re watching your favourite movie or YouTube video. In a world where time is one of the most precious commodities, really fast internet can keep up with the speed at which we all live our lives.
Support multiple users
We’ve all experienced the negative effects of bandwidth sharing, particularly during busy or “peak” periods. Someone’s trying to work, others are trying to learn, there’s a movie being streamed, Facebook and Instagram posting, and videos being watched on YouTube.
At any time in an average household there could easily be 10-15 devices all being used at once. Ultra-fast, Gigabit speed internet can ensure that everyone in the home or office can do the things they need to do regardless of the number of devices being used or the amount of content being uploaded or downloaded.
Foster inclusion
Faster, more affordable internet speed is an enabler for people and businesses. It’s the bridge to accessing and sharing information, entertainment and connecting us with existing and new networks anywhere across the world. In doing this, it can break down geographical, cultural and cognitive barriers.
Support innovation
Really fast internet is a catalyst for exploring and developing new ideas. It ensures businesses can more efficiently collaborate, share, ideate and access the diversity of thought that can lead to innovation that benefits us all.
Drive efficiency and effectiveness
People are looking for digital experiences that remove problems, save time and lower costs. In our homes this can include state of the art security systems, self-learning inter-connected devices and supporting digital tools that help us manage the competing priorities in our lives. Businesses are increasingly embracing cloud based solutions to drive increased efficiency and effectiveness within their organisations.
According to a study by the International Data Group, 69% of businesses are already using cloud technology with 18% saying they are planning to implement it. Dell has also reported that companies that invest in data, cloud, mobility and security enjoy up to 53% faster revenue than their competitors. And it’s not just cloud computing that requires a reliable, high speed connection with businesses increasingly managing systemic changes in tele-commuting and automation.
How can GigaComm help?
There is no doubt our future is increasingly digital and connected. Telecommunications infrastructure networks play a critical role in supporting Australia’s economic and social growth.
We can improve people’s lives, and drive business growth when we address the lack of access to really fast, affordable internet.
At GigaComm, our independent network delivers ultra-fast, reliable internet that bypasses the NBN.
Using the latest mix of technologies, our network is capable of providing Gigabit speeds and lower latency – all at affordable prices.
And our network delivers both ultra-fast download and fast upload speeds. This ensures that in homes and businesses we can both access and download content, and also create and share content like photos and videos.
By incorporating the latest technology and network design we can avoid the cost, delays and disruptions of the current lower speed options, so that everyone in our coverage area can access the same great Gigabit speeds.
Because we’re not weighed down by the NBN wholesale costs that other internet providers have to pay, we are able to invest in delivering an ultra-fast network and locally based customer service that is knowledgeable, helpful and easy to reach.
And to ensure a perfectly consistent connection in every corner of your home or business we’ve introduced our intelligent, award winning, GigaComm Plume Wi-Fi. Not only does it provide a range of control and security features, but it proactively adjusts to meet the needs of everyone in your household or workplace.
At GigaComm, we are ready to provide Australians the ultra-fast internet they need to work, learn, play and be entertained, regardless of the time of day or number of devices in their home or office.
It’s internet that can connect and unite us, to ensure we can all truly thrive.
