Faster broadband gets thumbs up from business

The State’s largest provider of regional TV commercials is one of the first businesses to hook up to the world’s fastest mobile broadband service, launched in Bunbury earlier this month.

Firey Productions producer James Hayward said the company was approached by Telstra to perform some testing on its new mobile internet device, which has assisted the business to better shoot, edit, write and send TV news content.

‘‘They asked us to help because we have many years of experience transferring large video files, from different locations around the State,’’ Mr Hayward said.

‘‘We tested the device in Bunbury, Perth, Albany, Karratha and Port Hedland.

‘‘We found the new ultimate device delivers a much faster upload and download compared with existing modems.

‘‘Our tests included speed and the amount of data we could move.’’

Mr Hayward said the new device meant the company’s TV news people out in the field could get their pictures back to the stations at least onethird faster than previously.

This saved valuable time and allowed the company to provide a better service to customers, he said. Telstra Country Wide area general manager for the South West Ray Philp said the launch of the technology in Bunbury and Capel reinforced the need for faster mobile broadband, with research revealing that more than two-thirds of regional Australians used broadband as an essential tool at work.

South West Development Commission chief executive officer Don Punch said the roll-out of the mobile broadband service in the South West fit the commission’s desire for the region to have high-speed wireless technology.

‘‘New broadband technology can only help the fast-growing and economically dynamic South West region to remain internationally competitive,’’ he said.

‘‘The commission has set up a stakeholders group to promote the region as a priority area for the future rollout of the national broadband network."