NSW Government Invests in Mobile Systems for Emergency Wi-Fi Connectivity

The NSW government is equipping communities impacted by natural disasters with mobile systems for wi-fi connectivity.

Customer service minister Jihad Dib made the commitment in June 2023. which involves both the commonwealth and NSW governments co-funding the provision of community connectivity kits worth $3.6 million.

A tender seeks to have at least 20 connectivity kits operational by February 2025, similar to systems used by Telstra and Optus, with build and test to take place between August and November 2024.

These units are required to be light, compact, and rugged enough for transport via various vehicles like ATVs, boats, helicopters, or commercial aircraft.

Furthermore, they must be deployable by non-technical personnel with a simple setup process involving positioning and activating them with a clearly labeled switch or button.

Backup batteries with at least a four-hour run time are needed, with the ability to accept power from multiple sources such as mains power, generators, vehicle batteries, or solar energy.

It is recommended that the systems have LEOsat support for backhaul, and providers may offer them under a subscription or usage plan.

- CyberBeat