Communications Portfolio

The State Communications portfolio supports the Federal Communications portfolio who liaise with telecommunications organisations such as Telstra and NBN on issues that involve the delivery of internet services for distance education.  For some remote students their only access to education is reliant on satellite technology and the quality of that directly impacts on access to education.

A dedicated Education Port was initiated by several providers, the advent of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems such as StarLink, have meant that some students have moved to that platform.

Sky Muster Plus plans have also started offering unlimited downloads.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Advised service providers of remote requirements for distance ed to be included in the new product Sky Muster. Sky Muster provides greater download limits to assist with essential services such as email, banking etc. It is anticipated that this will help students that have to work from home.
• Lobbied for a dedicated Education Port for Sky Muster which is called BIRRR – Better Internet for Rural Regional & Remote Australia. This plan provides unmetered data for schooling such as emails, Dropbox, web browsing, video conferencing and more. A data allowance for metered content such as You Tube, Netflix etc.
• Ensured when Covid 19 restrictions were in place and there was a high demand for connectivity with the extra load from home schooling of urban areas that the rural and remote students’ requirements were not forgotten.
• Attended a virtual online meeting with Telstra Ceo and Telstra Reps, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss key topics and interest to ICPA and each branch were able to put forward questions to ask. The meeting was very beneficial and a lot of answers and information was provided.

WHAT ICPA ARE WORKING ON

• We continue to work with internet providers to gain better internet access which is guaranteed to be both affordable and reliable for our rural and remote children.

• ICPA are continuing to work with government and technology providers to continue to expand and improve internet and mobile communications for rural and remote areas. The potential for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite services to enhance remote communications and provide increased choice and opportunities for ICPA members is becoming more apparent, and we are closely monitoring emerging developments in this area.

• We continue to bring to attention the technological requirements that a distance education student needs to continue their schooling.

• We are also collaborating with our federal counterparts to ensure that existing landline services remain in place and continue to be maintained until a tested, reliable, affordable, and appropriate alternative voice service is made available for those living in rural and remote areas.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Reginal Tech Hub

The Regional Tech Hub is a free Federal Government initiative which offers independent advice to regional, rural and remote Australians on the best communications connections, both phone and internet, for their needs. The Regional Tech Hub was established after requests from ICPA Federal Council and the team at BIRRR (Better Internet for Rural, Regional and Remote Australia).

Education Specific Resource Page

NBN Connectivity Guide

Designed to be saved and used when problems occur, this handy reference guide includes some of the common issues that you may experience, and the steps you can follow to find a resolution.

nbn-sky-muster-troubleshooting-guide.pdf

eSafety

eSafety is a great Government website providing information for ensuring online safety.  An example of an excellent resource is the Mighty Heroes online videos for children aged 5-8 years of age.  An excellent suite of downloadable resources are available for parents regarding online safety for their children. 

Please see the Federal Communications Portfolio page for more information.