Integrated digital connectivity solution using long range wireless high-speed internet link to connect several adjacent properties (Stage 1 of 2)

Summary

Internet connectivity is critical to every modern business.  Wi-Sky QLD is working together with Stanbroke and MLA on Project Downpour for the purpose of providing a high-speed internet connection on every one of its major stations in North West Queensland as an alternative to their current underperforming and unreliable service. Project Downpour will enable Stanbroke to move into the 21st century and gain a competitive advantage.

Currently, the only available internet service is Satellite NBN, which is over-subscribed and delivering an unsatisfactory internet service to the office and staff.  Productivity is severely hampered due to unreliable speeds and frequent dropouts.

Due to the sparse population of Australia, and in particular the pastoral rangelands, there is little commercial or government interest in meeting the connectivity requirements of large businesses such as Stanbroke.

With the rest of the world embracing technology and moving towards the Agricultural Technology boom, parts of Australia will be left behind. While costs like freight and distance to market are nearly impossible to solve we can bring the information of the world to the farm gate to increase productivity and reduce cost.

The next R&D phase will focus on a High-Speed Wireless Link System solution consisting of a network of wireless towers starting in from Cloncurry and running through to Miranda Downs will be built by tapping into Wi-Sky QLD's existing fibre optic connection that runs through the region.

The next stage of this project is proposed to evaluate changes in internet and technology use across the stations in terms of work and personal usage, specifically data use; download speeds; bandwidth; latency comparisons; reliability of service (including downtime).

In addition, it is proposed that future work should evaluate and validate the potential benefits of connectivity, including safety, training and attracting people to the industry.