EDITORIAL:
In today’s interconnected world, our reliance on broadband services has never been more apparent.
The recent incident that left 1,400 residents of Empire Bay and Killcare without NBN services for 30 hours is a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained this reliance has become.
For more than a day, these communities were thrust into a digital dark age, highlighting the critical role that broadband plays in our daily lives.
To make matters worse mobile phone and data services in and around the area remain poor due to an ongoing dispute over a local telecommunications tower that remains unresolved after years of disagreement.
As we grapple with the fallout of this NBN outage, it’s evident that we must reflect on the broader implications of our digital dependency.
In the modern era, broadband access is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
It underpins our ability to work remotely, access vital healthcare services, pursue education online and stay connected with loved ones.
The outage started by a third party contractor at Empire Bay caused widespread disruptions to Wagstaffe, Hardys Bay, Pretty Beach and Killcare disrupting these essential aspects of life and laying bare the vulnerabilities in our digital infrastructure.
This incident should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, telecommunications providers and the community.
If the government is serious about getting rid of cash currency it must seriously consider the repercussions of not having a way to transact business.
We must invest in the resilience and redundancy of our digital networks to ensure that such disruptions are minimised.
Additionally, greater transparency in communication and incident response protocols is crucial to keep affected communities informed and supported during outages.
NBN Co. demonstrated during this recent incident it does not have a protocol that successfully communicates with the locals affected.
Moreover, we must recognise that digital inclusion is a social justice issue.
As we increasingly rely on broadband services, we cannot leave anyone behind.
Efforts to bridge the digital divide must be redoubled to ensure that all members of our society have equitable access to the digital resources that are now fundamental to participation in modern life.
Ultimately, the 30-hour NBN outage in Empire Bay and Killcare should catalyse change.
We must collectively address the vulnerabilities in our digital infrastructure, invest in robust backup systems and prioritise digital inclusion.
Only by doing so can we ensure that our reliance on broadband services does not become a vulnerability in itself, but rather a source of strength and resilience for our communities.
David Abrahams
The Communications Minister and the ACCC have created an unaccountable nbn with little or no obligation to meet service levels or minimum speeds with around 40% of customers still on copper lines to their homes. At the last election the government committed to improving mobile network coverage on the central coast and towards rolling out more fibre based nbn. In the Killcare and Empire Bay Area we have seen no improvement in mobile coverage or nbn quality since the change in governments. This is despite promises from Michelle Rowland & Gordon Reid. During the nbn outage last week I was unable to make important phone calls to a hospital over nbn or over the mobile network. NBN’s own website indicates they won’t be looking to do upgrades from copper to fibre until mid 2025.