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[NSW, VIC] Free Wi-Fi and Phone Charging Services at Evacuation Centres at Fire-Impacted Areas @ nbn

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>NBN today announced the installation of 12 portable satellites at evacuation centres across the NSW South Coast and the Gippsland region in Victoria. A further five satellites are expected to be set up within the next 24 hours.

>The national network builder is playing a critical role in keeping the affected areas connected with free WiFi available through portable Sky Master satellite dishes.

>These connections provide free WiFi and phone charging services to any members of the community.

> Free WiFi is available at the following locations -
Bermagui Surf Lifesaving Club, Bermagui
Cooma Multi-Function Centre, Cooma
St Georges Basin Country Club, Sanctuary Point
Hanging Rock Sports Club, Batemans Bay
Ulladulla Civic Centre, Ulladulla
Bombala Community Centre, Bombala
Omeo Recreation Reserve, Omeo
Bairnsdale City Oval, Bairnsdale
Goulburn Recreation Centre, Goulburn
Narooma Leisure Centra, Narooma
Bega Showgrounds, Bega
Moruya Basketball Stadium, Moruya

> Connections are expected to be up and running soon at;
llawarrin Public Hall, Willawarrin
Lexton Recreation Reserve, Lexton
Kingscote Football Club, Kingscote
Fingal Neighbourhood House, Fingal
Ferny Creek Primary School, Ferny Creek

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closed Comments

    • +20

      I dunno. Seems to me that this could be handy for those in areas that have had mobile phone infrastructure destroyed. But sure, go ahead and use it to try and score some political points..

    • +1

      You know Scomo is in gov right?

    • Did he though?

  • +31

    Satellite internet via Sky Muster? Haven't they suffered enough?

    • +13

      Neggers obviously haven't used SkyMuster

    • +1

      SpaceX StarLink would provide a far superior service. However, it isn't publicly available yet, but with frequent launches it might be available soon.

      The big advantages over Sky Muster are:

      • Low Latency - low orbit means 30ms versus the 300ms for Sky Muster in higher geosynchronous orbit.
      • Pizza box sized phased array antenna that doesn't require precise pointing at the satellite.
      • +2

        Yeah nah there’s Inmarsat, they’re offering pretty strong pricing these days if you subscribe enough of the stuff. Sky Muster is a joke right next to the Inmarsat when they’re tested side by side (at least that’s my experience with the test kits provided/set up by the vendors) same time same place same sky.

        • Inmarsat satellites are still in geostationary orbit which means 300ms+ latency.
          SpaceX StarLink is low orbit with latency reduced to 30ms.

          If you watch a TV reporter on location talking back to the studio it is that very noticeable pause between when a question is asked the reporter starts to answer.

      • After the 2013 typhoon disaster in Tacloban (Philippines), Vodaphone deployed a portable network, which fits into four suitcases and which weighs 100kg, can be transported on commercial flights. That was 7 years ago.

        I wonder why this wasn't deployed here.

        • Yes, lots of people are wondering about a whole lot of things that could / should have been done in readiness.

        • It's 2G/3G only (https://www.vodafone.com/about/vodafone-foundation/our-proje…) unless they have rebuilt it since, and thus will have limited downlink (maybe 128mbps assuming no voice circuits) capacity.

  • +18

    Internet is critical infrastructure. This should have been done earlier. Now people should be able contact their loved ones, banks, insurance companies, work on their businesses. This should reduce some of the impact and assist with the recovery. Hopefully, organisations take some learning from the current bushfires.

    • -6

      Fully agree with that. I would rate internet as important these days as water, electricity and gas, essential infrastructure.
      Give Liberals sometime and they will privatise all.

    • +8

      Erm…you do realise that some of these places have been inaccessible for quite a while now? This may be the earliest they can be accessed. Also, some of these mobile installations have a lot of gear required to run them, and that takes time to gather. They may have had a few ready to go at short notice (like this one sent to Batemans Bay last week, but the sheer number of affected areas this time atound is unprecedented. I expect the media announcement was the last step in a long list of preparations leading up to it, so they haven’t been sitting idle all this time.

      • -3

        I accept your point that some sites may have been inaccessible. However, but it is not too difficult to get these equipment into some of the affected areas. Relief Centers are setup outside of the danger areas. There is a lot of portable infrastructures needs to be installed to run these locations. Lot of infrastructure has been installed to provide logistical support to the emergency services. So, it was doable earlier. Just like ADF could have been deployed sooner as admitted by the PM.

        • +4

          Yes in hindsight everything could have been done earlier, but hindsight is such a wonderful thing. Over the Xmas holidays and new year break with a load of employees booked in a holiday and out of town and country,with a few whom may be specialised in this field for NBN it’s easy to understand why it’s taken weeks for this to happen.

          But I guess if we can blast the PM for taking a holiday we can take a shot at the common employee too.

          • +3

            @cloudy: I didn't read anyone taking a shot at employees.

            I think other posts are referring to disaster readiness, which should have included all the required comms infrastructure solutions (along with food, water, shelter, etc.), and the plans for recalling the relevant 'essential services' employees (fire, police, health, military, etc.) in a timely manner to support that.

            • +1

              @GG57: as GG57 said, I never took a shot at any government employee, our PM though, different story.
              As I said earlier, NBN is a national infrastructure and should be given priority just as the other supplies. Essentially that's how people communicate to their loved ones.
              I can understand given the unprecendented fire we've hard, NBN is ill prepared for equipment deployment. Perhaps this should be included as part of the review/reform that the government has promised.

              • @ksama0079: Yet another line item in the Lessons Learnt session.

    • Absolutely! This has really illustrated issues with logistics and emergency infrastructure which I can only hope will lead to some reforms.

      The initial attempts to ignore the chaos as 'no biggie, Australia always has little fires. BTW did you see the cricket? Mate get off ABC you're missing out! Thoughts and prayers'

      The trump style ignoring/ distracting hasn't worked so we are finally getting a response and some of the actions requested 1-2 months ago.) I'm afraid it works and restores public opinion and image enough yto just revert.

      just

  • +16

    Credit where credit is due. Amongst the many misses, this is a 1+ for NBN.

  • +1

    This is great but with everyone in that region using Sky Muster they want to make sure noone's wanting to use it too much hehehe.

    I guess credit for the NBN using its infrastructure, it can't help it :p

  • +8

    12 portable satellites

    12 portable satellite dishes, per NBN's tweet. Silly editor @ WhistleOut. A Sky Muster satellite sitting on the ground wouldn't be at all useful ;)

    • Was going to ask about this. Pretty sure all satellites are portable!

    • +2

      And I guess they must be Sky "Master" branded dishes, according to the same silly editor.

      • Haha, good catch

  • +3

    Added to the Bushfire Disaster Relief wiki page.

  • Yeah I was wondering when you would post one dealbot !

    Hundreds of others m8 you can post :)

  • -7

    this is bugger all really.

    the real issue remains
    1. why Australia failed to act to try to avert the hellfires occurring - known consequence of global warming.
    2. its total lack of preparation for the hellfires

    The consequences of both of these deliberate and repeated failures - because they were still occurring a week ago - is the total extinction of many species, the deaths of many people, and the total destruction of unique environments that can never be reproduced.

    its already becoming apparent that most Australians don't give a damn about their country, and are quite happy to watch the rest of Australia burn in the future without holding anyone to account.

    Me - I'm ashamed - u can ban me here as much as u like, and troll me as much u want but clearly those people don't give a flying cuss about oz.

    EVERY NEG IS A VOTE FOR THE EXTINCTION OF ANOTHER SPECIES - so good on you - keep demonstrating why Australia is the worlds biggest environmental joke

    • This is an easy one. Remove the restrictions for residents to do what is necessary to protect their properties.

      • so they can start more fires as has happened already?

        you just want to increase the arson figures - because they include unlawful backburning already - to deny climate change.

        Carry on the good work… that's another extinction - soon we'll be leading the extinction table as well - there's not far to go…

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