Upgrades to telecommunications infrastructure in East Arnhem

Following the development of a collaborative regional investment strategy for telecommunications in 2019, funding for three joint project proposals was secured in April 2021. The three projects include: an $8 million Arnhem Fibre (backhaul) upgrade, a $3.45 million Yirrkala Fibre project and a $1.24 million homelands community satellite WIFI project. DEAL has committed $500,000 to the Arnhem Fibre upgrade project and $100,000 to the Yirrkala Fibre project. The Arnhem Fibre upgrade will significantly increase bandwidth availability from 5 GigBits per second to 100 GigaBits per second in all the mainland communities between (and including) Jabiru and Nhulunbuy for businesses, industry, service providers and residential customers.

It is estimated that the value added economic contribution of the construction of the Arnhem Fibre upgrade project to the Northern Territory economy will be $3.18 million and will generate 25 jobs for Northern Territory residents. The Yirrkala Fibre project will see Yirrkala become the first remote community in the Northern Territory to have Fibre to the Premise delivered for all commercial and residential properties. It is estimated that the value added economic contribution of the construction of the Yirrkala Fibre project to the East Arnhem economy will be $1.69 million and will generate 6 jobs for East Arnhem residents. The upgrade will support economic diversification opportunities in cultural tourism, creative industries and the health sector, as well as improving access to telehealth and education services.