The Demand Survey has shown a very strong unmet demand for Broadband Services in the region, with more than 1,000 responses received and entered into a database, or Demand Register.

The ‘Central Ranges’ region covers the shires of Macedon, Mitchell and Murrindindi in Victoria, with over 30 towns supporting a population of approximately 80,000 people and 3000+ small to medium businesses.

The demand survey was launched at the Mitchell Shire Council Offices on 26 October 2005, a media strategy was put into place to highlight the project and to gain as much feedback and response as possible.

A registration of interest form was developed and mailed with an explanatory letter to all businesses, business groups, interest groups and community groups in the region, and posted on the three Council websites and our dedicated website coordinated by the Central Ranges Local Learning and Employment Network.

The demand survey was advertised in all local newspapers and community newsletters across the shires and the registration of interest survey form was widely distributed at community centres, general stores, and other identifiable meeting places.

Various schools, welfare groups, local government agencies, forums and other community centres across the region were also visited to educate communities of the benefits of broadband, in addition to the media campaign publicising the benefits of broadband.

The Central Ranges LLEN emailed details of the demand survey to all schools in the area, requesting that the project be publicised in all school newsletters, and ran a competition, offering people who registered interest in the survey the chance to win an Apple iPod (provided by the Central Ranges LLEN) to further publicise and bring the project to people’s attention.

The 1,000 survey responses received across the three shires have been collated into a database (Demand Register) which will be used to build business cases for the supply of broadband services to the region.

CallPoint, a mapping company, was commissioned to prepare a report pictorially representing the results of the demand survey and the location of existing telecommunications infrastructure across the region. The report will also show the take up of broadband over a period of time. [Ed: This is an extremely detailed and highly useful tool for all communities and Local Governments]

A supply capability study was also undertaken with all telecommunications carriers with infrastructure in the region asked about their capacity to supply broadband services. In addition the carriers were also asked about their ability to supply services upon demand.  Most sought specific information on demand which was not available prior to the demand survey, and only provided general information rather than provide specific details about service capabilities.

An expression of Interest has been called for to determine service capability. This Expression of Interest was advertised in early February, and evaluated late February, with a view to developing implementation plans for some initial community centres in March and April 2006

A number of twon and community meetings are being planned and scheduled during April and May.

Results of Demand Survey: The Demand Register

Details of the type of demand, and strength of demand across the shires, and in specific communities can be seen here.                                          

Macedon Ranges Shire received 441 responses to the survey,

Murrindindi Shire received 366 responses to the survey, and

Mitchell Shire received 178 responses to the survey.

A number of other responses were received from outside the survey area.

Those on the fringes of the region, such as responses from Drummond and Mangalore, will be included within any business plans developed for the adjoining areas.

Those responses received from people living some distance from the region, who perhaps plan to move here, will be contacted to discuss opportunities, as circumstances permit.

Planning and work with potential service porviders is well underway.

For further details and updates, please review this web site regularly or contact the Boradband Broker, Gary Sheridan on 0427 802 338 or via email at broker@centralrangesllen.org.au.