HALL WELCOMES HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION

Gippsland MP Peter Hall has welcomed a new broadband internet service for the region, which will see a huge increase in data delivery speeds in major centres.

Mr Hall officially launched 'ExtremeSpeed ADSL2 Plus' in Traralgon today (Friday 21 July) which is being provided by a Gippsland-based company, Wideband Networks.

"This is a significant event for two reasons," Mr Hall said. "Firstly, it will provide very high speed data transfer - I understand at up to 16 times faster than anything else available - and secondly, it is being provided in Gippsland by a locally owned and operated company.

"I congratulate the owners and staff of Wideband, which has been prepared to invest in their business and in their region to provide a product that will lift our internet capacity remarkably."

The launch was to celebrate Traralgon going on line. Morwell will follow in September, with Sale, Bairnsdale and some other key regional centres to follow before the end of the year.

"I understand from the owners of Wideband, Phillip Britt and John Reisinger, that previously this product has only been available to major metropolitan centres," Mr Hall said. "Wideband is deservedly proud that it is the first to offer this service to the region and indeed the first to roll it out in country Victoria."

The maximum speed available is 24,000kbs, dependent on distance from an enabled telephone exchange and the length and standard of existing lines.

Wideband says the business and the local community will be able to take advantage of what the rest of Europe and the US have had for a number of years, that is, real time video streaming, quality Voice over IP technology and connection speeds which will allow data transfer rates of up to 500 meg in three minutes.

Mr Hall said it would open up more opportunities in the Gippsland region.

"The internet has long been held up as infrastructure that will bring regional Victoria closer to the metropolitan centre," he said. "That has been the case, to a point, but we do need a system that will allow us to keep up with what is available in major cities.

"Wideband has provided us with that solution, which will gradually move across the Gippsland region."

Mr Britt said Wideband had grown from four staff members to 16, and had built 18 microwave towers to deliver broadband across the region to places that simply could not get traditional broadband.

"We are particularly pleased to be able to have such a strong relationship with local councils and very much appreciate their support of a local company and their recognition of Wideband and the services we deliver," he said.

"Still we are aware it is not enough just to be a local company; we continue to strive to be the best at what we do, to deliver premium world class services at competitive market prices and to give our customers first class service and support."

Media contact: Peter Hall (03) 5174 7066