Rural Link
In 2001, the Rural Link project was initiated to provide innovative, sustainable, high speed internet and online access to at least 90 relatively small communities across rural and remote NSW by establishing broadband access to 'hubs' such as public libraries, councils, CTCs and clubs. In October 2003, the Rural Link budget was scaled back so the number of target towns to be implemented was reduced to 184 sites in 70 towns.
Rural Link was a geographic and strategic extension of the ongoing, successful NSW.net program which, for many years, has been and still remains the major source of public internet access for public libraries in NSW. Rural Link built on this by enhancing the capacity and demand side initiatives of these services, and making these services and broadband access available to other users in each community.
The main objectives of the Rural Link project were to provide broadband access to selected 'hubs' in a number of small and remote communities across NSW and to ensure this broadband capacity was available to other users in each community, through the introduction of wireless and other technologies feeding off the above 'hubs'. It also was to stimulate and support increased take-up of this enhanced capacity through developing and delivering tailored training and support initiatives.
By 30 September 2004, Rural Link had installed and commissioned 191 buildings in 75 towns.
Rural Link more than achieved its aim of providing innovative, sustainable, high speed internet and online access to at least 70 relatively small communities across rural and remote NSW. The introduction and demonstration of innovative technology solutions through which typically three selected user organisations in each town obtained enhanced bandwidth on a sustainable basis. Technology solutions used by Rural Link for the delivery of broadband access included one-way satellite with ISDN back-channel and IEEE802.11b wireless.
Before Rural Link was implemented, the only internet connectivity options available to these communities were very slow dial-up services and unaffordable ISDN. Nowadays, ADSL has a dominant presence in the majority of rural towns within NSW. The cost of establishing and running ADSL is highly attractive when compared to satellite connectivity. Almost all Rural Link towns have now upgraded to ADSL.
Rural Link played a very important role for these communities in providing them with a robust and cost effective solution where little or no choice existed.
