Logan City Council soon will call expressions of interest (EOI) from suppliers to improve the availability of broadband Internet services in the area,
QBR reports exclusively in its most recent weekly e-newspaper.
The resolution, adopted by Council last week, aims to deliver on Mayor John Freeman's election platform of establishing Logan as a "connected city", says project consultant Warren Black of Logan City Enterprises.
Research has found the local government area, which houses some 175,000 people within 250 square kilometres, has significant "blackspots" where ADSL broadband services are not available.
Telstra, which in recent years has upgraded all its exchanges in the area to deliver ADSL, estimates around 80% of the city is covered by the service.
But Black adds that 15-20 percent of that figure can't get ADSL for "technical reasons" - that is, their exchanges or phone lines are not suited to delivering broadband.
"There is any number of technologies out there, from dial up to fibre [optic cable]. We want to hear from suppliers as to what supply they can make to the city to meet its objectives [of universal broadband availability], and what role Council will have in that," he says.
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