Connectivity future a hot topic

A Telstra update by regional engagement manager WA, Eva Colic, followed by a presentation on nbn Local regional upgrade programs by Naomi Evans, nbn regional development and engagement manager - regional Western Australia, and details of recent and future challenges and opportunities for Western Power in the Wheatbelt was shared by Western Power head of network operations Shane Duryea.

Ms Colic strongly encouraged all members of the Wheatbelt community to make contact with Telstra with any telecommunications queries.

"We are the specialists, talk to us, especially with the 3G network closing," Ms Colic said.

With regards to the 4G upgrade, Ms Colic said regional mobile phone customers' experience would be greatly enhanced as Telstra was committed to each incremental network upgrade increasing speed and decreasing latency.

Ms Colic provided details of the new intercity fibre network being installed that will run across the country to Sydney, New South Wales, with the installation beginning nearby in Bakers Hill.

Moving from mobile data to network data, Ms Evans highlighted the dramatic increase in data consumption over the past 10 years.

"On average each home now has 22 connected devices," Ms Evans said.

"Ten years ago a household would use 40 megabytes per month of data, now they use over 400mb every month."

Ms Evans said the company was focused on continually providing faster and more reliable nbn speeds to all households and businesses.

Western Power's current and future investment in the Wheatbelt region was the focus of Mr Duryea's presentation, as well as the power outage experienced by 34,000 customers in January this year.

Local investments highlighted are in Pingelly, Cuballing, Cunderdin and Meckering, where millions of dollars worth of poles and overhead lines are being replaced, along with installation of LED street lights and essential maintenance, plus 19 transformers across the Wheatbelt and Mid West regions are being upgraded.

Mr Duryea showed a video created by Western Power to address the January 2024 outage, explaining the processes that were undertaken and thanking their workers as well as other stakeholders involved in reconnecting homes and businesses as quickly and safely as they could manage.