Free internet for city, while bush network slowly dies.
As a strong advocate for rural and regional business, I was frustrated to learn that Adelaide city will be getting free internet “aimed at driving business and enticing visitors to the city.”
Meanwhile, in the regions we are left with a clapped-out (congested)
network that has no more capacity and routinely kicks data (business) customers
off the network, to keep priority for voice traffic (mobile phones).*
Ever tried to use the internet in a regional area once the
kids get home from school? Impossible –
until the next morning. Why are wi fi
and mobile broadband products continuing to be marketed and sold when the
network has no more capacity for them?*
So where is the e-strategy aimed at driving business and
enticing tourists to our regions?
New
businesses will not come if technology infrastructure is out-dated or not
available. Tourists will not come if
they cannot ‘plug in’ to the rest of the world while they are here.
Mr Weatherill states that his new e-strategy for the city is
about “driving opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs” and “providing new
ways of communicating with consumers”. If
ever there was a business community that needed the help and could take
advantage (productively) of new technology to achieve this, its regional
business.
Why talk about “Adelaide’s brand going global” through the
use of new technology? Take the rest of
the state with you.
Business SA chief executive Mr McBride said that the new
initiative would “help local business gain a competitive advantage”. What about speaking out for the needs of your
regional members? Actually, I didn’t
renew my membership this year for that very reason. Yes Mr McBride, it has become “increasingly
important for business to develop an online presence” – the bush needs that outcome more than ever.
So anyway, as some of you would be aware, 12 months ago I
wrote a letter to Mr Weatherill positively responding to his pledge that he
would “reconnect with the regions”. In a
recent blog below, 12 months on, I questioned whether or not anything had
improved for the regions in this time?!
City-centric direction, strategy and attitude continue to
divide the haves and have-nots in South Australia. It beggars belief that with such a small
population, we still do not take advantage of the opportunity to build the
state as a tight-knit community, working together so that no one gets left
behind.
*Source: www.telstra.com/crowdsupport/business
