Adelaide endorses 10 Gbps network plan

The Adelaide City Council has endorsed the development of a business case for the construction of Australia’s first 10-gigabit fibre network.

The council has agreed to enter the next stage of the project following an independent review of the concept by telecommunications consultant Adrian De Brenni.

Adelaide is considering constructing a 10-gigabit optical fibre network that would complement the NBN rollout and the state government’s Gig City program.

The proposed network will connect with a global fibre network as well as cloud-based data centres not affected by the current internet congestion.

At 10 Gbps, the network would offer downlink speeds 416 times faster than that of ADSL2+ and uplink speed of 4000 times faster.

Under the concept, the network would support the technology industry — including defence, gaming, software, data storage centres and digital start-ups — as well as SMEs, advanced manufacturing and smart education and smart city initiatives.

The network would also pave the way for future technologies and industries including autonomous vehicles and sensory networks, as well as industries and jobs that are yet to be created.

Council staff now plan to invite the development of business cases to build, fund and operate the network in partnership with the local government.

“This network has the potential to totally transform the City of Adelaide,” University of Sydney Chair of Future Cities Collaborative and Honorary Professor in Urban Policy Professor Edward Blakely said.

“Not only does it anticipate the future needs of businesses but will establish the City as an early adopter of innovative technologies. Throughout the United States, we have seen that decisions like this have been key to driving innovation and new sources of growth.”